


Art of Love

by Gracia237



Series: Promise to Sirius [2]
Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Best Friends, Brotherly Love, Chaos, Comedy, Drama, Empathy, Friendship, Intense Romance, Kindness, Love, Other, Romance, Romance Stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29035686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gracia237/pseuds/Gracia237
Summary: "What is so interesting about the wall?""Pfft!"The theme of romance is never discussed with tranquility when it comes to a certain group of five particular extremely-dissimilar and inevitably-disoriented boys. With this year's Valentine's Day approaching, Natsuki, Reiji, Ai, Ranmaru and Camus are hurled into a mind-whirling assignment that leads to screams, shouts and utter, undeniable chaos, seemingly cursed in an occasion that countless single individuals cursed. In this crazy, colourful quintet, romance is stress-inducing and perilous enough as it is.They did not need an assignment forcing them to feature each of their fellow members in a romance story.(Note: You do not need to read the main story "Promise to Sirius" to read this story. However, for those who did, this is a side story taking place after the events of the main story)
Relationships: Natsuki Shinomiya & Reiji Kotobuki & Ai Mikaze & Ranmaru Kurosaki & Camus
Series: Promise to Sirius [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2130132
Kudos: 3





	Art of Love

POV: Third-Person POV

Time: Mid-to-end of January after the end of the main story, after _Epilogue: Shadow and Light_

Romance, as proven time after time again and again in a colourful, complicated history, was never smooth-sailing. If romance were to be explained in terms of sailing a ship, the victims of such an endeavour would be extremely fortunate if they even managed to _begin_ exploring waters in one piece. Also proven by momentous history, the quintet known as 'QUARTET NIGHT' were not, and most likely never would, be an exception to such terror and insanity. One may even be right to say that their complexities in regards to the theme of romance were much more tedious than those of the average people of society, with an uncontrollable mix of chaos, noise and catastrophes somehow always finding its way into the incomprehensible equation, to the extreme point that calling their fate 'comedic' was a sore understatement. 

Although, to be absolutely fair, with a quintet comprising of a hot-tempered, screaming rocker who wanted nothing to do with the professions of love, a young and curious analyst whose depths of research were borderline flustering to the eldest members of the group, a formal and composed man of royalty who calmly added coal to the burgeoning fire like sugar cubes to his cup of tea, a cheerful leader who could be as mischievous as fast as his words slipped and pulled warning triggers, _and_ an oblivious, innocent sweetheart whose inquiries regarding love caused the lessons to run out of control despite meaning no harm...

Could you honestly say that the theme of romance would _ever_ be discussed with tranquility in QUARTET NIGHT?

Now, the romance-forsaken quintet were sitting in the comfort of their shared living room, exploring a variety of kiss scenes that a certain innocent blond had yet to learn of. Since Natsuki had matured more and had fully grasped the simpler concepts of romance, a proud and happy Reiji had suggested teaching him about certain scenes and actions that the four more-experienced fellow members had previously filtered out of their romance-related media due to him not being ready yet. Their bright, sweet and innocent boy was a miraculous one, surviving crazy romance while still remaining as pure as ever. Now, with mugs of hot chocolate and milk with honey, the warm aromas drifting through the cold winter atmosphere, the five of them were silently watching as the gentleman advanced towards the lady casually yet with a certain air of conviction, clearly making a calculated move, and even Reiji, who had witnessed countless different kinds of kisses, could not help but feel his heart pound in his chest like a drum. It was when the couple began to engage in a deep kiss when...

"Um... guys?"

"Yes, Nattsun?" Reiji immediately shifted his attention towards Natsuki, whose eyes were as confused as his voice. Tilting his head slightly, Natsuki faced him and hesitated.

"I don't know if I should know this, but..."

Natsuki asked.

"What is so interesting about the wall?"

"Pfft!"

Ranmaru automatically spat out his hot chocolate, almost choking as his eyes grew wide with what could only be described as utter horror. That was the question? For the love of rock, _that_? Reiji stared at poor Natsuki, who was even more confused, with his jaw dropped and his cheeks burning red, while Camus almost dropped his teaspoon into his mug and Ai's eyes were widened in pure disbelief, four minds thrown into a frenzy of chaos as they desperately scrambled for a proper answer to a question that they had never expected to hear in a million years, even from the most innocent of the five. 

"I mean..." Natsuki rubbed the back of his head as Ranmaru slowly recovered from his distress, "you guys taught me that at times, during the more intense kisses, the guy pins the girl against the wall as they kiss. But eto... why does the guy need to do that, to use the wall? Isn't kissing about touching and feeling? You don't need the wall to do that, right?"

"With all technicality..." Ai slowly began, pausing the video playing on the television screen. Narrowing his eyes at the somewhat scandalous scene that he paused at, he moved the clip backward towards a scene with much more decency, "it is true that the wall is not always a necessity. Kissing, after all, is mainly about touches and feelings. However, certain... _positions_... require a surface for one to lean or rest against, and the 'one' in this particular instance is the girl."

"It uh..." Ranmaru scratched his own head awkwardly, "it brings some kind of greater intensity, ya know?" He mentally cursed himself for being downright awful at this. "Brings a sort of wilder thrill, you could say. Makes them both excited... I guess..."

Natsuki blinked, trying to process the words. "Is that how you felt during your kiss scenes-"

"Don't even go there, kiddo!" Ranmaru yelled, his face burning red.

"Why the blatant denial, Ranmaru?" Camus folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Are you truly telling is that you felt no kind of emotion during your romance endeavours, be it a true escapade or a realistic performance?"

"You know what I mean, you sugar addict, so shut up!" Ranmaru shouted, glaring at Camus.

"Hmm..." Reiji stroked his chin thoughtfully, although a glint of mischief was not quite hidden, "a lot of Ran-Ran's scenes do involve the wall-"

"And how do you know that?" Ranmaru was screaming by now, wanting nothing more than to disappear on spot. When he realized what he just said, however, he felt like the weight of the world just came slamming into him like a wall - a freaking _wall_ \- of bricks. "No, wait- I mean-"

"To be fair, Reiji has an accurate point," Ai stated, his calm, usual tone a severe contrast to Ranmaru's disproportionate emotions as he switched his tablet on. _Ranmaru can deny, but data does not lie._ "It is quite prominent from the video compilations that I have gathered from the web." Resting his cheek on his palm, he absently stirred his mug of hot mint chocolate as his thoughts deepened. "The producers and directors seem to see you fitting of acting out a scene where you need to pin a girl against the wall. So do the fans, it appears."

"Ai, you watched them too?" Ranmaru exclaimed in deafening disbelief.

"I was watching them simply to study," Ai's face was blank, "before you make any assumptions."

"Oi-"

"If watching helps, can I w-"

"No, Natsuki, you can't! And Ai, delete those!"

"There is admittedly validity in Ranmaru's statement," Camus remarked as a mentally-exhausted Ranmaru buried his face into his hands and tried to muffle the screams in his heart. "Allowing Natsuki to watch such videos of him would inevitably threaten to pollute his mind, considering how extreme Ranmaru can be. Not to mention, a reputation to match."

" _'Extreme'_." Ranmaru shot up to scowl at his bickering partner. "Don't you even try thinking that I don't hear what you're really sayin', you cavity prick. And you and your ridiculously overpowering aura scares away girls, so you ain't any better at this either!"

"At the very least, I do not have the reputation of a brute."

" _I_ am a brute? You're the one with a stick, mind you!"

"If it appeases you, the both of you have kiss scenes requiring the usage of the wall."

"Myu-chan too?"

"Ai Mikaze, there are certain observations that you need not mention al-"

"But so do you, Ai-Ai!"

"Reiji, you do know that you are not an exception either, right?"

Natsuki's eyes were wide with pure confusion and surprise as Ai, Ranmaru, Reiji and Camus continued to shout, argue and yell at one another, the notes of the quintet's melody of mayhem intensifying like one's love would as they fell deeper into a world that they may never escape from. Gazing down at his fawn plush animal, he held his treasured item closer to his chest as he tried to calm the four of them down, only to squeak in shock when Reiji threw himself onto Natsuki with Ranmaru grabbing the older brunet from behind with burning cheeks. Maybe the wall was simply another part of the language of love? He still did not really understand, but maybe he could ask them again after the chaos had subsided. At least he got to hug Reiji for now, although he had not at all expected his question to escalate everyone's emotions. Wrapping his arms around Reiji, who was clinging tightly to him with yells for a flustered and angry Ranmaru to stop yanking him, Natsuki glanced at Ai, who was shaking his head and rubbing his left temple, and Camus, who was smirking in amusement as he watched a struggling Reiji and Ranmaru. 

That was when all five of their cellphones rang.

Scrambling away from Ranmaru, Reiji grabbed his green cellphone and checked the notifications. His eyes widened with mild surprise. "Eh?" He glanced around at Natsuki, Ranmaru, Ai and Camus and found various expressions on their faces: confused, surprised, grim, _horrified_. "Shiny-san wants to see all of us." Natsuki, Ai and Camus nodded in confirmation, whereas Ranmaru slowly dragged a hand down his face, his heterochromatic eyes clearly distressed as he already anticipated what was to come. It was exactly the same as when they were dealing with the likes of romance:

Meetings with Shining - scratch that; _anything_ that had to do with their crazy boss never failed to drive this quintet _nuts_.

...

"Ho ho ho! Just like how Mr Santa Klaus never fails to deliver presents..."

Shining smiled broadly, clearly ignoring the concerned and exasperated looks that he was receiving from the five idols who knew him too well to be fooled by such theatrics. 

"I am here to deliver to you five boys a super, super fun assignment!"

 _Fun for you, you mean_ , was what Ranmaru chose not to say but was grumbling in his heart as the five QUARTET NIGHT boys stood in a single line in front of Shining's desk. Hey, it was not a complaint - it could not be considered one if it was a literally given fact for God's sake. Not to mention, the time spent on driving to Shining's mansion could have been used to relax in their favourite café, take short naps under cosy blankets, or even drive miles away from here of all places. 

_Just when we were yelling at one another over freaking romance..._ Ranmaru thought as Camus and Ai sighed and Reiji and Natsuki smiled awkwardly. _Wait... January is ending soon, meaning that Valentine's is-_ Sheer horror seized his heart like lightning as the realization slammed through his head like a battering ram. _Oh God, no-_

"February, the month of love, is approaching us, meaning that it's soon going to be time for you boys to shine as brightly as you can in the upcoming occasion, Valentine's Day!" Shining proclaimed, confirming Ranmaru's worst fears. Ai narrowed his eyes as Camus closed his own. "As you all know, all of us in this very agency always prepare something extra, extra special for all the wonderful and loyal fans that have supported us all this time! Compared to the start of last year, QUARTET NIGHT has garnered countless fans worldwide and are incredibly loved for your music and personalities amongst countless other things to love! So! The time has come to give every single one of the fans back the love tenfold and over!"

 _I want to give so much back to the fans for supporting us all this time_ , were Natsuki and Reiji's warm thoughts.

 _As nonsensical as Shining-san is, I cannot disagree with him in regards to the fans_ , were Ai and Camus' somewhat reluctant but simultaneously honest thoughts.

As for Ranmaru...

_I know, so can we go home now? Before you, you know, make this into a catastro-_

"You boys..."

Shining pointed an index finger straight at the five of them, his voice booming with excitement.

"All five of you are going to write a romance story and feature one another in it!"

Time seemed to stand still for a moment. The five of them still standing in the office, they stared at the Shining Agency head in complete silence, the gears of their minds turning rapidly as the announcement sank into their heads like ink into water, dissolving slowly at first before spreading vastly and quickly until what was once translucent changed colour entirely. The optimistic Reiji who was normally quick to reassure the sceptical members of the group had his jaw slackened as his eyes dilated. Ranmaru's face was filled with utter shock and horror as he stared at Shining like the old man was mad - which, in Ranmaru's honest opinion, was a given - trying to interpret his words in such a way that the assignment was _not_ what he thought it was. Camus was calm but grim as he could already envision the severe implications of such an unorthodox activity, already predicting the total chaos to come. Ai was similar as he quietly turned to Natsuki, concerned about how the innocent blond was feeling. His eyes wide with pure shock, Natsuki could barely feel the blood rushing through his cheeks as countless different possibilities welled up in his head and he wondered if he was truly up for the task given his lack of experience. Although-

"You can't be freaking _serious_!"

They did not have a choice, did they?

"Oh, but I am, Mr Kurosaki," Shining answered, guffawing loudly as Natsuki pulled himself out of his momentary trance. "Each of you five boys is to write a single short story with the theme of romance, featuring one of your fellow members. The one you are writing about will be determined at random and until the day you are to show one another your finished drafts, you are _not_ to divulge who you are writing about! There is only less than a month until Valentine's Day, so I expect you boys to finish your drafts in one week _and_ hold a meeting yourselves to go over them before handing the stories over to your editor!"

"We only get one week for this nons-"

"Depending on what you pull out of these boxes," Shining continued, taking out two lidless boxes - blue and silver, "you may have complete free creative control, if you do not get the special mission! For the lucky boy who gets the special Shining mission, you cannot reveal that you got it until you trade drafts! I will send a special message to you boys very soon about further details, so for now, let's start the game of chance with the blue box!"

Shining held out the glittering sapphire box with a wide grin.

"Your fate lies with whoever gets your name!"

Despite the reluctance that a number of them felt, Ai, Ranmaru, Reiji, Natsuki and Camus all stepped forward and reached into the box, taking a folded piece of white paper each. Moving away from one another, the five boys unwrapped the paper and found one name written in bold, black ink each. "I'll go around and you show me what you get!" Shining strode around the office, taking note of who was writing about whom, his face more serious now, and once he was done, he nodded at himself. "No one got themselves. Wonderful, I must say! Now, have your fate further sealed by taking one piece of paper each from the silver box!" 

They did the same and as promised, only one person received a slip with a Special Mission. However, by the time the five of them were facing one another again, their faces were reverted back to neutral expressions, neither of them giving away whom the were obliged to write about. Shining, however, had all the answers in his head and was undoubtedly absolutely pleased with the results, for the game of chance had produced results that were anything but dull or uninteresting. He could tell based on the papers alone who were calm and who were not, and he knew for a fact that even those who were calm would wind up being engulfed in chaos the moment the drafts were revealed.

"Better get moving, moving, my lovely quintet!"

Shining grinned.

"Romance is a poem that cannot be rushed, and I absolutely cannot wait to read what you talented boys come up with!"

...

Agreeing that they were all deserving of at least this much before the war with romance that was to come, with Reiji behind the wheel, the five closest friends took a drive around the nicer and more beautiful parts of the city, searching for inspiration for their five stories. Neither of them divulged whom they had to write about or whether they were the one who received the special mission despite how much more vocal they were about the assignment in comparison to when they were in the mansion, with Ranmaru swearing repeatedly as he dragged his fingers down his face and Ai expressed serious concerns in regards to the assignment as a whole and the criteria that Shining would eventually divulge. However, all five of them collectively agreed to assist one another if there were any difficulties regarding writing the stories, with Reiji reassuringly tousling an unsure Natsuki's blond locks with a fond smile. While Ranmaru could be a fiery train wreck and Natsuki still had a considerable amount of romance aspects to fully fathom, Camus, Reiji and Ai were reasonably and sincerely confident that the two polar opposites of the group could write exceptional romance stories so long as they placed all of their heart and effort into it. Although, Camus was not exactly the nicest when it came to expressing such opinions, as proven by the blunt remark that he jabbed at Ranmaru during a casual conversation with a sly smirk, even if it was half-teasing, inciting yet another bicker that took Ai, Reiji and Natsuki's combined strength to mediate.

The hotpot did help all five of them, even Ranmaru, settle down.

However, the assignment came back at full force once they returned to their five-man apartment, following the announcement of Shining's additional details regarding the assignment:

I. ROMANCE, ROMANCE, **_ROMANCE_**. NO EXCEPTION! MAKE SURE THAT YOUR FANS WILL BE HIT BY CUPID'S ARROW WHEN THEY READ YOUR SOON-TO-BE MASTERPIECES.

II. THE STORY IS IN THIRD-PERSON POINT OF VIEW, AND THE READER IS TO BE REPRESENTED AS "YOU". FOR EXAMPLE: "You are walking along the corridor when you ran into Ranmaru." AND BEFORE YOU COME AND TELL ME THAT YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY RISE TO THE OCCASION, BE REMINDED THAT YOU FIVE BOYS DID ALMOST ALL OF THE WRITING FOR YOUR DAZZLING MAIN PROJECT. AND IT WAS A **HUMUNGOUS** SUCCESS, JUST LIKE THIS WILL BE.

III. THIS ONE IS SUPER **DUPER** IMPORTANT. YOU ARE TO INCLUDE A SIDE OF YOUR FELLOW MEMBER THAN FANS EITHER OVERLOOK OR ARE NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH. A CHEERFUL BOY IS NOT CHEERFUL ALL THE TIME; A CALM BOY IS NOT CALM 24/7. MAKE SURE A DIFFERENT, AMAZING SIDE OF THE PERSON YOU ARE WRITING ABOUT SHINES THROUGH AMAZINGLY. 

IV. DRAW THEM INTO THE SCENE. MAKE THEM FEEL YOUR LOVE. OTHER THAN WHAT IS SPECIFIED ABOVE AND IN THE SPECIAL MISSION, YOU HAVE **COMPLETE** CREATIVE CONTROL.

V. HOWEVER! IT IS A SHORT STORY, SO **NO MORE** THAN 3,000 WORDS **BUT NO LESS** THAN 1,000 EITHER. SOME OF YOU MAY END UP WRITING NOVEL CHAPTERS IF I DO NOT PLACE A LIMIT, SO HERE IT IS.

VI. I EXPECT **DIVERSITY** , **ORIGINALITY** AND **UNIQUENESS**. I AM NOT ACCEPTING CLICHÉS OR TWO OF NEAR IDENTICAL STORIES FROM ANY OF YOU. YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT BORING OR UNORIGINAL, ESPECIALLY IN A GROUP THAT RESEMBLES THE WORLD'S GREATEST ROLLER-COASTER, SO THAT HAD BETTER SHINE THROUGH IN YOUR WORK.

VII. SO ALL THE VERY BEST AND KEEP ON SHINING, MY BOYSSSSSSSSS!!!

"I can literally hear his voice yelling at us through the screen..."

Ranmaru dragged his palm down his face as Ai sighed and rubbed his left temple.

"I think he was drunk when typing this whole thing up. Say, if we get rid of his computer, do you think we can get out of this disaster of an assignment?"

But nope. Nope. As much as he would have liked to hope otherwise, he knew as much as they did that they were stuck with this assignment hanging over their heads like storm clouds. As the five of them retreated to their bedrooms, with Natsuki wrapping an arm around Reiji, Ranmaru shut the door firmly behind him, and right after, he fell forward and buried his face into his bed, muffled screams of incoming agony penetrating out of his soul.

Starting tonight, they were goners.

All of them.

They were dragged into the war and there was no getting out of the battlefield until it was over.

They only had a week, so as much as they had different strategies regarding tackling this conundrum, all five of them decided to begin as early as possible, starting from that first night. Sitting calmly at the study desk of his vast bedroom, Camus was writing with an elegant white quill pen and black ink on white paper as he sought to create an original piece of art that no one could hope to imitate. The lighting was warm and cosy, accentuating the calming, serene atmosphere like a chandelier to a fireplace, and his loyal Alexander was fast asleep on a soft rug, excitable black eyes peacefully shut. With a couple of eloquent romance novels from his immense collection of books as reference, Camus had everything that he needed, including a cup of hot butterfly pea milk tea and a slice of delightful dark chocolate cake brewed and baked by none other than his closest friend who was also the only other blond in the group. 

That aforementioned closest friend was currently inside the room as well, quietly gazing around the archive of books that could be considered a small library. Not too long ago, Natsuki had knocked on Camus' door and softly asked if he could borrow a few books for the assignment. _I-It's not why I was preparing milk tea and cake_ , Natsuki had explained with a bashful smile when teased by Camus. _Those are because I love Myu-chan. But I... I thought that a book or two could help me because there's so much I don't know about. So... is it okay?_ It was quite adorable, really, seeing Natsuki that flustered, and Camus knew him more than well enough that Natsuki would never try to bribe anyone. Truthfully, Camus had no issue with lending books to Natsuki and Ai - Ranmaru and Reiji were, however, a different scenario altogether. Not to mention, he did feel quite honoured that Natsuki came to him this soon. It was a small gesture, but a somewhat gratifying one as well. 

Raising his head from his writing, Camus turned and a small smile formed on his lips at the sight of Natsuki wandering around the bookshelves like Alice in her secret wonderland, idyllic wonder in his warm eyes. However, as innocuous as the sight was, it also doubled as a reminder that Natsuki was definitely lost as to which book to choose, considering the fact that the single genre of romance was vast on its own. Allowing himself a brief moment to ponder, Camus rose from his chair and approached Natsuki with slow, even footsteps. Just as Natsuki took a pink novel from the shelf and began reading its back cover, Camus spoke from behind him:

"That one is too complex and vague for your cause considering the time constraint."

Natsuki leapt up, startled as he spun around to Camus, who gave him a small, amused smirk. "Myu-chan." His features softened under the fluorescent lamps. "I'm sorry. Am I disturbing you? I think I got lost as to which book to borrow."

"You are in no way a disturbance, Natsuki," Camus assured him, gently taking the novel and slipping it back into the bookshelf. "However, since you are currently ambivalent, I would like to offer some assistance of my own, if you do not mind. Considering the fact that you are unable to inform me what kind of romance you are writing as it may give away too much..."

Camus reached up towards a particular novel with a front cover as red as a classic rose.

"Three books come to mind, starting from the classic that everyone should have heard of at least once." He handed it over to Natsuki, who accepted it with both hands. "Followed by a lighter and more innocent portrayal..." Finding a white novel with golden and black letters at a lower shelf, he took it as well and gave it to Natsuki. "Last but not least, a dark, alluring romance that is not near explicit enough to pollute your mind, but nevertheless, somewhat more advanced than what Reiji, Ai, Ranmaru and I have taught you so far." 

Camus held up the third and last novel, which had a dark cover containing eloquent handwriting and pretentiously glamorous graphics, and his baritone voice dipped with a serious note as he looked Natsuki in the eye.

"Should this book overwhelm you or leave any bludgeoning questions, come to me immediately and do not hesitate to ask anything you have to, Natsuki. The assignment is important, yes, but your safety takes the most priority. Therefore, if it comes down to it, I am certain that all of us would gladly bend the rules and allow you to divulge the hidden details of your task. Pushing yourself over the line is never inconsequential, and this is not an exception." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do we have an agreement?"

"Yep, Myu-chan," Natsuki agreed without any hesitation, looking straight at Camus with an unwavering, serious gaze of his own as he nodded firmly. "It's a promise. I'll come to you if it becomes too much for me to handle."

"Good."

Finally giving the novel to Natsuki, Camus smiled with mild satisfaction.

"I shall anticipate what you have in mind, Natsuki."

As Natsuki set the books down and pulled Camus into a warm bear hug with a soft smile, two rooms away was the bedroom of the third and only other introvert of the quintet. Sitting cross-legged on his comfortable bed, his blue penguin plush leaning against his side, Ai was skimming through an assortment of online fanfictions to gather how fans in general portrayed his fellow band member as and what they thought of him, alongside fan comments about QUARTET NIGHT's latest music video. Every member of the quintet was unique, complicated and quite difficult to decipher solely from face value, a perfect embodiment of the phrase 'What you see is not what you get', and the particular member that Ai had to feature, in his completely honest opinion, was not at all an exception. 

_Based on the data that I have gathered from various legitimate sites, it is obvious what the majority of fans thinks of him_ , Ai quietly murmured in his head, his laptop resting firmly on his lap. _I am not surprised, given that his public appearance is as consistent as it is seamlessly natural. It is honestly rather impressive. However, since the assignment calls for a side of him that fans in general either overlook or are not quite familiarized with..._

A small smile tinged with slight playfulness, much rarer than his usual poker face, curved across his lips.

_This will be quite entertaining._

Other than Natsuki, Ai was, without a doubt, the least knowledgeable in the quintet in regards to the multifarious layers of romance, especially the emotional aspects of the theme. That, however, was a major reason why he was grateful to have online references to view at any time he wished, having gone through a number of famous romantic tales, some derived from Camus' exquisite tastes and Reiji's unpredictable, excitable (and surprisingly mature) ones. With an online thesaurus prepared in a separate tab, Ai continued to expand his knowledge through extensive reading, while simultaneously listing original ideas of his own on a separate word document. Despite his lack of experience compared to the three oldest members of the group, Ai was unflinchingly calm and composed as he drew together and connected idea after idea, his fingers gliding and falling across the keyboard like it were the keys of his synthesizer, almost as though writing was like playing a ballad. He was still concerned as to how he would fare, if his performance would be up to par, yes, but simultaneously, he knew that he would not settle for anything inadequate. Other than the extensive research that he was conducting, his natural intelligence and adaptability towards any given situation were a beneficial contribution to his cause, and he truly refused to allow himself to be hindered by anything.

The crescent winter moon was glowing white on the immense, sapphire sky glistening with a multitude of seemingly miniscule, silver jewels. While most people would expect Ai and Camus to be the calmest and most serious ones throughout this particular assignment, in the sole shared bedroom of the apartment, both Reiji and Natsuki were, in actuality, maintaining a calm, unfaltering air of serious tranquility as they individually worked on their stories. While helping himself to a slice of Natsuki's freshly baked chocolate cake and a mug of hot Earl Grey tea, Reiji was cocooned in cosy, colourful blankets on his side of the double-bed, soft, serene music flowing into his ears from the olive-and-black headphones - his birthday present from Ai - worn over his head and connected to his viridian cellphone, already starting with his draft. His back resting against a fluffy, propped-up pillow, he gave himself up to the flow of the writing, knowing that the best way to go was to follow the natural stream of words and ideas coming together, and one word became a sentence and drew closer to becoming a complete paragraph. Reiji did not bother with coming up with an eye-catching title just yet; he could worry about it once it was clear that this was the story that he was sticking with. 

All in all, despite initially worrying about finishing a good story showcasing one of his four beloved besties in no more than one week, Reiji was progressing much more smoothly than he expected, his attentiveness towards his dearest people and his experience in multiples of genres definitely paying off. However, despite how concentrated he was at the task in hand, he could not help but pause and ponder over who and what the other four members of the quintet were writing about. He could already imagine combinations that would drive them crazy should they be realized, and knowing only his own assigned member meant that he was stumped as to who the other members could possibly be featuring. As his thoughts wandered, Reiji lifted his head from his paper and clipboard and looked over to Natsuki, who would normally be sitting on their shared bed but was currently hard at work at his study desk, a small lamp glowing a warm gold as he silently read and wrote throughout the serene night. When Natsuki came back to their shared bedroom, he was carrying three novels in his hands, all borrowed from Camus. The two best friends had exchanged words with smiles and encouragement before retreating to different parts of the room to work on their stories, but throughout his writing process, Reiji could not help but glance over at Natsuki, curious as to how he was holding up. 

_He has been working non-stop ever since coming back into the room_ , Reiji murmured in his mind as he observed Natsuki's silent, serious gaze skim over his sheet of paper and the latter turned the page of one of the novels. _It's been well over an hour and he hasn't said anything. Maybe that's me too used to being able to chat without pausing, but he honestly looks incredibly serious. With that expression on his face, you wouldn't think he was inexperienced in this field._

Reiji's face turned gentler as Natsuki hugged his baby elephant plush to his chest, contemplation crossed over the latter's soft features illumined by the study lamp. However, as ideas undulated through his head, it did not take long for the gentle expression on the older brunet's face to morph into a cheeky half-grin.

_I think this more than calls for a well-deserved break, hmm?_

Unwrapping the swamp of blankets around him, Reiji slipped off the bed and approached Natsuki, who had stopped writing and was focused on reading. Once Reiji was right behind the unsuspecting innocent blond, he grinned and threw his arms around Natsuki from behind, causing the latter to jump and squeak in pure shock. "Nattsun!"

"R-Rei-Rei!" Natsuki exclaimed, shaking his head with a laugh as he spun around his rolling chair and faced Reiji. "Rei-Rei, you surprised me there. But I'm so happy you surprised me with a big hug." Reiji laughed heartily as Natsuki wrapped his arms around him in a gentle bear hug. "How's your story? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine on my end," Reiji assured Natsuki, ruffling the latter's sunshine blond hair with a bright smile. "I was actually wondering how my pure, precious Nattsun was doing, seeing him working super hard!" Starting to grin, Reiji slowly leaned closer to the desk. "Let's see-"

"Rei-Rei!" Natsuki exclaimed, scrambling to place the papers face-down and closing the novel without even leaving a bookmark, his face flushed as Reiji burst out laughing. "It won't be a surprise anymore if I let you look!" He squeezed Reiji back into a tight hug. "If you know who I'm writing about, you can probably guess everyone else's too!"

"Don't worry, Nattsun!" Reiji let out a couple more warm laughs as he snuggled into Natsuki's shoulder. "I won't peek. Believe me when I say that I'm gonna be super, super happy reading what you are working on. Honestly, given how well you know all four of us, I'm sure you're writing the main male character out in the story perfectly. I think that the romance part is the only thing you've got to worry about, but even for that, I'm sure you'll be just fine."

Reiji paused, his voice slipping into a quiet mumble.

"Say... do you love the one you're writing about?"

Natsuki's heart thumped with instant shock. "Of course I do, Rei-Rei!" He pulled away to face Reiji. "I love him very, very much! He's incredibly kind and amazing and sweet and-"

His eyes grew wide when he saw Reiji's cheeky grin. His cheeks turned warm.

"R-Rei-Rei!"

"Aww!" Reiji pouted. "Don't stop there! I can't tell who you're writing about based on that! Coming from you, that description applies to _all_ of us!"

Reiji and Natsuki laughed as they took a break from romance together, eventually heading out to the kitchen to rebrew their tea. However, they were completely unaware of the level of anguish and frustration a certain silver-haired bassist was suffering within as they passed his locked bedroom. Ranmaru was internally _losing it_. He cringed at the cheesy love songs that he ran across as he tried not to fall asleep reading the romance novels that he had barely managed to convince freaking Camus to let him borrow and trust him with not ripping into shreds. He was literally smashing the Skip button on his music player after a maximum of just three seconds of each song at the start as he tore through the pages and again questioned the sanity of those who indulged in romance like drunkards with alcohol. 

_If I butcher this guy's character, the whole lot of the rest of 'em are gonna butcher_ me _._ Ranmaru utterly felt like slamming his head into the wall that had hurled the five of them into total chaos just this afternoon. _It's gonna be real hard to write about him, even more so with my freaking sanity on the line. Romance will always hate me, won't it? Speaking of hating me..._

His face slowly paled.

_Which of those four got me?_

The mortifying thought remained unanswered as dusk drifted further into the night of untimely romance, and the whole world gradually fell deeper into sleep even as papers were crumpled and words were scratched out, with Ranmaru lacking the fireplace to watch them all crumble into ashes.

...

For the next six days leading up to the fated due date, all five of them progressed through their stories at their respective paces, utilizing a myriad of different methods to search for inspiration and piece together the best romance short stories that they could possibly write (or the only romance short stories they had ever written, for some cases). 

Despite their tight schedules, given the countless Valentine's Day promotions, the quintet managed their time well enough to squeeze in periods to work on their stories. After a solo photoshoot, Natsuki managed to visit a nearby library with a cup of hot hazelnut milk tea and listened to music with his earplugs while writing in a calm environment. With a one-hour gap between a talk show and live performance, Reiji dragged Ranmaru and Camus with him for a car drive around the city while seeking further enlightenment. To further gain a better understanding the person that he was writing about, and also conceal who it was, Ai asked certain questions to all four of them at the same time and place, taking notes of everyone's answers to add to his data. It doubled as a way to further get to know his closest friends better, so he quite liked doing this particular activity. 

When they had spare time before a duet performance, Camus invited Natsuki to have a tea party and they talked about how their romance endeavours were. At one point, Ranmaru asked Ai about informal and formal clothes while they were waiting for their bubble tea at the festival that they were having a photo shoot, during which the former had to avoid accidentally blurting out what he should not when the teal-haired boy slipped in subtle attempts to draw them out. Despite how different they were, the five of them all had their individual struggles and their own ways of overcoming them, even if some methods simply led to even bigger disasters. As much as romance induced tremendous mayhem throughout even their photo shoots and video shooting, even Ranmaru could not deny the lopsided grin formed on his face as the five of them acted out a scene in the romance drama they were staring in as characters near identical to their actual selves walking along the sidewalk of a bustling city while relishing in how colourful their surroundings were. Even as much as it sounded contradictory, while the five of them did drive one another insane in too many occasions to keep count, they were also what kept one another grounded and walking straight ahead without the need to ever dwell or regress. The five of them had one another, and they always would.

However, here was the problem with bright and happy moments: they made time fly even faster.

It was also thanks to one another that their one week had gone too soon, like the sand that had finished falling down an hourglass.

And falling were they deeper down the hole.

The morning the stories were due, Reiji, Ai, Natsuki, Camus and Ranmaru gathered in the living room after they had eaten homemade breakfast, their five pieces of writing all complete. All of them sitting on cushions on the floor around the glass coffee table, Reiji, Natsuki and Ai were on one side of the table while Camus and Ranmaru sat directly opposite them. Ai was the only one whose draft was inside an electronic device - his tablet - while the four older members of the group used sheets of plain white paper. White vapour swirled up from their cups of piping hot chamomile spearmint tea as Reiji's chuckle broke the silence of the suspenseful air between the five boys.

"Come on, you guys! It's not like we're at war with one another, right? We're about to read what we've all written and I'm personally real curious and rearing to go!"

"Depending on what has been written, this is gonna be total chaos," Ranmaru fired back, shaking his head as he, just like the rest who used paper, kept his sheets face-down on the table. "Before we dive deeper into the hole, though, can someone please explain _why_ in the name of rock the old man dictated who revealed their writings first to last?"

On the second-to-last day of the allocated week, Shining had given them the order the five QUARTET NIGHT boys were to unveil their writings as well as who they were featuring without so much as an explanation as to why and what for. The five of them were quite sure that it had much to do with what Shining had seen when he asked- no, _demanded_ for them to email what they had come up with so far personally. Even so, none of them could quite pinpoint why the order was what it was.

The order, from start until end, was: Reiji - Camus - Ai - Ranmaru - Natsuki. As of now, they still had no clue as to what the four other members wrote, so there was no way that they could quite figure out Shining's logic regarding this conundrum. If it could even be called 'logical', anyhow. 

"I would not be surprised if there was no particular reason in the first place, with all due respect," Ai stated bluntly, his teal eyes unfazed as he shrugged. "However, Shining's orders, unfortunately, need to be followed, so as consequential as it normally is, the five of us are facing this together. Therefore..."

Ai turned to Reiji, his gaze serious.

"Reiji, please begin."

"You betcha, Ai-Ai!" Reiji beamed, the smile spread across his face immediately gaining the suspicion of Ai, Ranmaru and Camus and a warm smile from Natsuki. "Hey! Ai-Ai, Ran-Ran, Myu-chan, don't look at me like that! Big bro Rei-Rei worked super hard on the story too! Can't you believe in me more, like Nattsun d-"

"Natsuki's pure optimism is more than enough to singlehandedly balance every drop of pessimism we own," Camus interrupted with a scoff, narrowing his ice-blue eyes as he folded his arms. "Pessimism that has evolved thanks to the pranking likes of you, mind you."

"The likes of _me_?" Reiji's jaw dropped. "I-"

"Don't try to deny it, you dunce!"

"But Rei-Rei makes us all happier, right?"

"Not when his pranks are out of c-"

"If you slander my name with your story," Camus asserted, a glint flashing in his eyes as he looked straight at Reiji, "believe me when I say that the rewrite will be the least painful thing that I will make you do."

Camus' frown deepened.

"So which poor soul has been featured in your writing?"

"You're such a meanie, Myu-chan..." Reiji pouted, which Camus deliberately ignored. However, his expression reverted back to a wide smile in an instant. "But if it makes you feel better, Myu-chan, as much as I would have loved to write about you too, I didn't get you, 'cause..."

Reiji's voice brightened as his smile turned into a cheeky grin.

"My story's about Ai-Ai!"

Ranmaru heaved out a huge sigh of relief, not even bothering to hide it. As grateful as Camus was that he was not the aforementioned 'poor soul' whose fate in fiction was in Reiji's hands, unlike that dandelion-haired fool, he shifted his eyes in mild concern towards Ai, whose teal eyes were widened marginally, no amount of data quite able to accurately predict how luck, of all things, would work in reality. However, it did not take long for Ai to recover from his surprise as his teal eyes slowly narrowed into a calm yet bluntly suspicious gaze pierced straight at Reiji, who laughed. "Ai-Ai, you haven't even read a single word and you're already looking at me like you're gonna triple my schedule! I gave so much time and effort to write out my sweet, adorable Ai-Ai, you know!"

"I will quadruple it if your writing deems it to be a fitting compensation," Ai responded as Reiji whipped out his cellphone to take photos of the writing to send to the group chat. At the sound of those words, the latter jumped and the former narrowed his eyes further. "Your reaction to my remark indicates worry and perhaps even panic amid true astonishment. That alone is quite sufficient to warrant my suspicions."

"Don't worry, Ai-chan." Natsuki, always the kindest even in such situations, consoled Ai and wrapped his arm around him with a tender, affectionate smile. "I'm sure that no matter what, Rei-Rei has written something wonderful about and for you. He loves you so, so much, after all."

"It is times like this when I wish that I had your sense of optimism for a change." Ai sighed with a small smile as he squeezed Natsuki's hand. "At least a small part of it. However..."

Ai's expression reverted back to a blank face as he faced Reiji's hopeful smile.

"Depending on how cataclysmic your writing turns out to be, a quadrupled schedule will be the least of your worries. Now, without any further interruptions, please send us your draft for our evaluation."

"Boy am I glad I am not writing for Ai..."

"So am I, Ranmaru. You are the only person in this group who could possibly tarnish my reputation worse than Reiji. Without even trying, for that matter."

"Oi!"

...

 **Collaboration Pair I:** Reiji Kotobuki - Ai Mikaze  
**Writer:** Reiji Kotobuki  
**Featured Idol:** Ai Mikaze  
**Special Mission?:** No

**Letters of Love**

L-O-V-E.

Four simple letters that formed a fundamental word that branched out into threads and layers of intricate complexities that could never be simplified or fathomed into shorter formulas. A student of the world, a young and bright scholar who was also a unique, mysterious idol, Ai was not only intrigued, but also confused when it came to the concepts of young love. The statistics resulted from multifarious polls did not do much to increase his understanding. Neither did the webpages that offered 'love advice' as they called it. Ai definitely stood out as one of the most intelligent among the eleven Shining Stars, considered astonishingly mature despite being the youngest, but love, to him, was quite perplexing, unable to be quantified by even hours and hours of research dedicated to its study.

However, then came _you_. You were the constant focus on his mind throughout the examinations and researches regarding romantic affections, regardless how quick and nimble the gears of his hardworking head turned with various questions and theories. Whether he was having a cup of pastel-coloured bubble tea with chewy tapioca pearls alone in quaint café or coming across a paperback comic about youths in love in a local bookstore, he wondered what it would be like had you been by his side during those times, how your smile would illumine the serenity of the colourful interior as you sipped the iced delight through the straw, how your side would press against his lightly as you leaned to take a look at his newest reading material, only for both of your cheeks to redden when you realized how close you were standing now. Maybe those novels and movies depicting romance as what he believed to be saccharinely beautiful were not quite as excessive as he thought them to be. Maybe love, an emotion that no one could quite express too well, truly made everything seem so much more beautiful than it was in reality. An illusion, maybe, but the feelings, at the very least, were real and he knew it.

Except, that there was one problem.

He did not know who you were.

Somewhere out there, Ai believed and knew that you existed in the world in a way that was as poignant as it was beautiful, even if others deemed you to be an existence of simplicity. As much as the workings of the inner heart could not quite be explained simply using mere words, Ai knew within that inner heart of his own that you were his soulmate whom he would treasure in his arms with a soft smile that was for your eyes and memory to see and trace only. However, he had yet to meet you. He had yet to identify you or discover your place of origin, let alone memorize details such as the colour of your eyes, the characteristics and scars to your beautiful soul, the shape of your lips and the curves of your figure. Neither could he predict the cadence of your voice or the sound of his name whispered by your breath, as well as the feel of your hand intertwined with his or the shine of your eyes even in the darkest of days and weather. 

_Who are you, my dear?_

With a pensive sigh, he gazed out of the glass window of his bedroom as his cheek rested gently in his right palm. His eyes carrying the expression of a studious boy fascinated by the wonders of a dreamlike universe, and it was of no wonder that people were drawn to his innocence. However, only one person in this entire world had all of his heart. As he sat at the study desk, beautiful lavender ink dripped and glided across the sheets of letter-sized papers that would eventually be folded and sealed safely in white envelopes. Imagination may come in a myriad of shapes and sizes, but his imagination was alive with bright colours and possibilities of the beautiful you whom he was destined to meet one say. Whenever he stumbled upon spare time, he wrote letters dedicated to you. He may not have met you yet, but he knew that there were countless activities that he hoped to do together with you, countless sceneries that he wished to view with you, countless emotions that only you could make him feel.

_I may not have the answer yet, but time will tell. And as many uncertainties as life gives without anyone ever really asking for them, I can sincerely tell you that when I meet you..._

His gaze softened.

_I will be more than prepared to love you with all of my heart._

To him, he was simply thinking of his future lover to whom he was connected with a string of fate the colour of a rose in full bloom. However, his pure innocence and serene serenity towards a love that he hoped to one day touch with his fingers and heart were a treasure waiting to be discovered by you. His teal eyes fluttering over the words of dedication that he had written into a letter, like a butterfly rippling through time, Ai smiled gently at his letter for today; a letter that may be short and simple but was nevertheless intricate with emotions:

_"Maybe I have yet to meet you. Maybe I have yet to see you or know who you are or am quite mistaken as I try to imagine who you could possibly be, my dear. But believe me when I say that I know that you are beautiful as much as you are unique and imaginative. And that you have my word when I say that I love you."_

_When you receive these letters, do not worry about writing me back. You do not have to._

The wind slipped into the room, causing the papers to undulate in mid-air, just like his blossoming thoughts of you.

_Your love is more than enough to express even more than these letters ever will, regardless how many pile up one after another like the interchanging seasons. Whether in the form of a kiss or a promise... you are my one and only love, now and always._

...

"Ai-chan thinks deeply about everything, including love."

Natsuki's gaze was soft as his fingers formed a hand heart.

"And he feels so deeply too. I think the fans will fall in love with him even more because of what you've written, Rei-Rei. Because they'll know that Ai-chan can be genuinely romantic too."

"While I wouldn't say that it was the disaster that I thought you'd make," Ranmaru remarked, setting down his crimson cellphone down on the glass table, "I ain't too sure that the one you wrote about is nearly as calm as he normally is." 

He waved a hand in front of Ai, who was silently staring down at his lavender cellphone.

"Ai? You okay, man?"

"I... I am." Ai's voice faltered a bit as the four older members of the quintet noticed the light pink colour dusting the young boy's cheeks. "I am. I simply was not expecting such an in-depth interpretation of a romantic side of me, considering my predictions in regards to what each of you would write about me."

"So you are not gonna make my schedule brutal, right?" Reiji asked, his hopeful voice somewhat contradicting the small, playful yet proud smirk on his lips towards how he had managed to cause Ai to lose his composure. _Bull's eye..._

Ai narrowed his eyes at Reiji. "That is for me to evaluate later."

"Hey! You can't really be considering-"

"Camus is the next on the list, right?"

"Ai-Ai!"

"Indeed I am." Camus gave Ai a brief nod, crossing his arms over his chest. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Ranmaru groan. "Is there something that you would like to say, Ranmaru?"

"Hah?" Ranmaru shot Camus an odd look. "Oh. That. Waiting for my name to be called is literally making me feel like I'm on the edge of my seat. I know it's comin' sooner or later, but I don't wanna know who had to write me into a story! It's clearly not Reiji - thank God for that - but chances are that it's still someone who's gonna make me wanna bang my head against the wall!"

He narrowed his eyes.

"And 'someone', for all I care, may be _you_! Oh God, I don't even wanna think about what'll happen if it's you!"

"Who did you write about, Myu-chan?" Natsuki asked, glancing at Ranmaru with sincere worry as he poured the older boy more tea.

"I am glad that you asked," Camus stated with a small smirk. "Politely, for that matter." He chuckled as he ignored Ranmaru's hostile glare. "I, for one, was perfectly fine with writing about any of the four of you as it would inevitably prove to be entertaining in one form or another. While I still stand by my argument that Shining-san was likely to have discovered the idea for this assignment through being intoxicated with fine wine and clung to it despite a terrible hangover, working through this particular piece of writing was quite... _fascinating_ , so to say in the least, as his personality contrasts my own significantly."

"That could be any of us three l-"

"I present to you an artful narrative featuring a reckless yet passionate rocker."

"Oi, what do you mean sayin' I'm reck-"

Ranmaru froze as Camus' smirk darkened, his grey-and-magenta eyes slowly dilating like he had just woken up in a haunted house.

"No. You can't be... No. _No_. No no no no-"

"I cannot believe your luck is so good, Myu-chan!" Reiji cried, spluttering with laughter as Natsuki observed Ranmaru, who was pulling at his silver hair, in pure concern.

"And how terrible Ranmaru's luck is," Ai added, shaking his head with a small smile. "Camus, what did you write?"

"A narrative befitting his true personality," Camus answered with a sly smirk, sending the pictures of his draft that he had prepared beforehand to the group chat. "I am quite certain that you will have strong reactions to this particular piece. After all," his ice-blue eyes, too, were smirking, "I captured the complete essence of who Ranmaru Kurosaki is, be it strengths or flaws."

"I don't even wanna read this..." Ranmaru mumbled, feelings of dread sinking into his heart like black ink as he tapped on his phone screen. "Can't believe romance hates me this much to the point that my fate is left to you of all of you freaking lot. But I gotta read this if I wanna be able to tell what damage has been done, right?"

"Oh, Ranmaru. Believe me when I say that the damage is already done on the first line."

"Hah? What are you-"

Ranmaru gaped as Natsuki's eyes widened and Reiji burst out laughing.

"O- _Oi!_ " Ranmaru yelled, his face burning.

...

 **Collaboration Pair II:** Camus - Ranmaru Kurosaki  
**Writer:** Camus  
**Featured Idol:** Ranmaru Kurosaki  
**Special Mission?:** No

**Soulful Serenade**

Ranmaru tripped and fell flat on his face.

"Ran, are you okay?"

You asked, eyes wide with worry.

Mentally cursing his own reckless behaviour, Ranmaru scowled and yanked himself back up to his feet. When he noticed your worried gaze, he quickly wiped the natural scowl off his own face, and he heaved out a sigh.

"Yeah. Don't worry 'bout it." Ranmaru waved his hand dismissively. "Think I'm just tired, is all."

"If you want to do this another night, Ran, we can-"

"No!" Ranmaru exclaimed, taking you aback. His eyes widened when he realized how loud his voice was, and his cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Sorry." His mumble was barely audible. "Didn't mean to get carried away. But I mean it when I say I'm fine and... I don't want tonight to just end when it's barely even begun, so..."

Ranmaru jutted his chin towards the pathway.

"Let's keep going."

A random stranger would probably have scampered off upon being faced with this awkward, bumbling moment with an equally awkward and bumbling rocker who was struggling to regain his composure despite the fact that his composure was not quite present in the first place. However, having been close friends with Ranmaru for a couple of years now, you were quite accustomed to the quirks of his behaviour and could tell if he was being frank with you or slipping back into his habit of giving outbursts of total denial. While his behaviour was somewhat more clumsy and awkward than usual, you decided to not question it for the time being and gave him a genuine smile as the two of you continued walking towards a towering, familiar building: a private clubhouse owned by Shining Agency, the very place that the both of you often frequented together.

Donning one of his trademark rock-themed attires - a maroon jacket, dark grey T-shirt and sleek black jeans with a couple of small chains - Ranmaru was stylishly dressed for a late night in the luminous city of party music and grandiose celebrations. However, as striking, collected and natural as his idol personality was, a part of him which shone in earnest even outside the public eye, Ranmaru was simultaneously an awkward yet strangely lovable man when it came to romance. His nerves would lead to the most untimely of mistakes and clumsiest of moves, and he would wind up cursing his own self at the back of his mind, which was precisely what had occurred when he tripped over his own foot earlier. If it had been elsewhere, perhaps he would have beaten himself over even less.

The problem, however, was that it happened in _your_ presence, in the presence of the target of his affections, on the night that he was planning to reveal his true feelings.

The only object that he brought besides his brown messenger bag was his bass guitar, which he, to be utterly frank, should cease calling his 'girlfriend', especially since there now existed a human being that he wished to call his lover. Had you not been as oblivious as you were when it came to observations in general, you would have noticed that your close friend - and the man that you harboured secret affections for - was much gentler around you in just about every aspect. When you reached the entrance of the clubhouse, he held the door open for you after unlocking it, like the gentleman that most would not suspect him to be. Aware of how vacant the clubhouse was given the ungodly hour, he took your arm and slowly led you up the spiralling staircase, his free hand curled into a fist that was more than prepared to be swung towards anyone who dared make a move on you in his presence. As much of a reckless fool he may be when it came to the subject of romance, belying his standoffish appearance was an exceptionally loyal and protective soul that was alight the brightest when around you.

You, however, had yet to notice it, and he was aware of your obliviousness.

Therefore, tonight, he would bare his wild and burning soul out to you.

Once the both of you reached the rooftop, Ranmaru, for the first time tonight, gave you a light grin as he slid the glass door open. His nerves were a vexing conundrum oscillating between too many options at the exact same moment, but he chided himself for overthinking and simply observed as your beautiful frame stepped onto the balcony and gazed into the brilliant colours of seemingly serene nightlife. The night air was cold, yet tingling and soothing from the height from which you stood. Leaning against the silver railing that you had held onto during all the times that you and Ranmaru climbed up here, you sighed with a gentle smile, clueless as to how your smile caused the walls around his heart to crumble down like a sandcastle, as your fatigue was washed away by a myriad of colours splashed across the countless glistening buildings of the grand nightscape like waves against water. As beautiful as it may be, however, the scenery, to your eyes, was only as soulful and exuberant as it was because of the one and only companion by your side.

Your gaze softening, you turned and found Ranmaru setting down his bag and taking his bass guitar out of its black case. With a mischievous smile, you spoke. "Please don't tell me you're holding a rock concert here."

"It's just us," Ranmaru assured you in sincere honesty, instead of combating back with words like he normally would. "You're my audience of one and don't even need a ticket to come, so you'd better listen well."

His lips curved from a half-teasing grin into a small smile.

"I said I was tired, and I am, but this soul's burning for you. And it's burning brighter seeing you smile with me."

He leaned forward and unexpectedly, cupped your cheek with one hand, his heterochromatic eyes as smouldering with determination as they were warm, a sizzling flame and tender candlelight in a single ardent gaze aimed directly towards you. Your eyes widening, you felt like a deer caught in the headlights that were his catlike eyes, magenta and grey, that seemed to resemble gemstones under the spacious night sky as they accentuated his handsome, alluring features. You had always loved him for him, regardless if he was an idol or not, but you had always adamantly believed that he would never reciprocate your feelings of affection towards him. You had always thought that he would be with someone with a higher status, someone more beautiful, astounding and passionate, not you. However, as his eyes remained focused on you and only you, could you have been sorely mistaken? As inconceivable as the idea of the two of you being romantically involved sounded... was it now proven to be possible?

His fingers stroking your cheek with silent tenderness, Ranmaru smiled slightly, knowing that his feelings had reached you. However, this one gesture was not his only method of conveying his innermost feelings. Carefully pulling away from you, he stepped backwards and took a seat on the white concrete ledge and cautiously slung his bass guitar over his left shoulder. Positioning his fingers at the strings and behind the frets, he heaved out a deep sigh, readying himself, and began playing a song that he had never played in front of you. It was a serenade. Ranmaru Kurosaki, the member of QUARTET NIGHT prominently known for his passionate rock songs that set the stage ablaze, was sitting on the rooftop before your eyes, serenading you as he hummed and sang a slow, tender melody with a smile that was as content as it was calm, two qualities that did not normally show on a daily basis. As you stared at him with reddening cheeks and wide eyes, you were not only drawn to the man in front of you; you were utterly _captivated_ by him, enraptured by the melody of his soul's reflections.

There was absolutely no doubt as to why and how you fell for Ranmaru.

His strengths, his flaws, his complete being... you loved every single fragment that made him who he was and would never cease to be.

"Music is a language that comes in different forms."

He stated, his voice dragging you out of your reverie as his fingers continued to strum the strings of his guitar like the feelings reaching your heartstrings.

"With differences in tone, pitch and melody with an array of genres. I am as human as anyone: flawed, getting mad, getting upset, sometimes hurting without ever meaning to. But no matter how soft this song is compared to what you may have had in mind knowing me, you hear my soul, right?"

His expression was warm, his eyes nearly glowing.

"You can hear the words _'You're beautiful'_ , without me needing to say it, right?"

Your words were caught in your throat as your breath hitched. When the melody had faded into silence, he pulled himself back to his feet, taking off the strap of his bass guitar and placing his prized instrument back into its case. As you struggled to speak, Ranmaru strode over to you and held your cheeks again; this time, with both hands. His palms were radiating with warmth against the coolness of your cheeks as he leaned closer, his lips barely a centimetre from yours, his breath hot against your face. His eyes were smiling as you stared into them, captured by all of him.

"So now..." his voice was a half-murmur, "what do you say to a kiss... love?"

...

"You really got me there, Myu-chan."

Reiji remarked, shaking his head with a wide grin.

"I was ready for this to be a full-blown comedy! And you really left that ending up to the readers' imaginations, didn't you?"

"You caused quite the level of overheating, Camus," Ai remarked as Camus smirked, turning to face two particular polar opposites who now had one additional trait in common. Mildly concerned, Ai reached forward and squeezed Natsuki's shoulder. "Natsuki? Ranmaru? Are the both of you okay?"

"I... I'm okay, Ai-chan," Natsuki answered, his cheeks warm as he slowly blinked a few times. "I didn't think that things would become that intense during the second half of the story. I loved the story, though!" His smile was sincere although a little shy. "It definitely sounded like what Maru-chan would do for the one he loves."

"I am glad to hear that you relished in reading my work," Camus responded, his smile half-teasing as a happy Reiji squeezed Natsuki into a tight hug. When Camus faced his bickering partner, however, his smile turned into a satisfied smirk at the sight before his eyes. "Is there anything that you would like to - or rather, are _able_ to relay to me at the present moment, Ranmaru?"

Contrary to his confident, smooth-operating self that had been featured in Camus' piece of writing, sitting at the glass coffee table, Ranmaru had his face buried in his hands, his mind barely processing what in the living name of rock he had just been forced to read, his heart hammering in his chest like a beating drum. _This_ was going to be published for Valentine's Day? _This_ was the piece of writing that their countless fans were all going to read on the day of love thanks to his sly band member and rival? To top it all off, he had to step _out_ of the apartment building after this was published? His face burning a bright cerise, Ranmaru slowly raised his head and found four pairs of eyes gazing at him with an assortment of emotions. Reiji was trying to stifle his laughter. Natsuki was worried despite his pink cheeks. Ai was amused as well as partly concerned. Camus - freaking, _freaking_ Camus - was smiling innocently as Ranmaru slowly turned and scowled at him, the latter trying his utmost best to ignore the heat in his face, heaving in a huge gulp of air as he cursed himself for being reduced to a flustering mess thanks to Camus of all people. Slowly, he began to speak.

"I don't freaking know who got you, but..."

Ranmaru's voice emerged through gritted teeth, tight with anger and above that, utter embarrassment.

"I'm _burying_ myself into a hole when that story is published. And whoever got you had _better_ drive you up the freaking wall."

"I am next," Ai commented, raising his hand. "This particular individual required me to do an immense amount of research, given the multiple layers of his personality. My research included reading through the opinions of our fans in order to properly surmise which side of him they were least familiar with."

"There are only three people left, right?" Reiji thought aloud, stroking his chin. "There's me and then..."

"Therefore, I believe that this individual owes the fans his thanks for how this story turned out."

Ai turned, his teal eyes glimmering with an innocent smile.

"I wrote about Camus."

" _Thank God!_ "

Ranmaru exclaimed, pumping his fist up despite having entirely nothing to do with this particular pairing.

"For awhile, I thought that he might get away scot-free by being Natsuki's assignment! Romance hates me, but at the very least, Ai ain't going easy on the ice prick!"

"Normally, I would not mind being the subject of your research or writing," Camus remarked, setting his cup of tea back onto its saucer. "Especially if the other options comprise of the likes of Ranmaru and Reiji. However..." Facing Ai, his ice-blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "There is a smile of feigned innocence on your face. What exactly have you written in regards to me, Ai?"

"I am quite certain that I was specific enough earlier," Ai answered casually, his smile lingering in his eyes as he sent the word file containing his draft to the group chat. "It was rather entertaining, to say in the least, experiencing what it was like to portray you in writing. It made for exceptionally valuable data for future reference should a similar situation occur."

"We're going to see Myu-chan in love!" Natsuki remarked with a warm, happy smile, causing Reiji to laugh as Ranmaru snorted in amusement and Ai chuckled. Sighing, Camus shook his head in sincere disbelief.

"Natsuki... believe me when I say that given the circumstances, that is much too innocent of a statement to speak aloud."

...

 **Collaboration Pair III:** Ai Mikaze - Camus  
**Writer:** Ai Mikaze  
**Featured Idol:** Camus  
**Special Mission?:** No

**Demon Incarnate**

_"Is he a demon incarnate?"_

_"Is he as scary as he seems?"_

_"Is he a mean old man?"_

Quietly keeping to yourself, you held your novel even closer to your chest as the words and their different voices reverberated inside your head like haunting echoes, your heart ringing coldly at each syllable and sound.

_"He walks so silently. Like a creep!"_

_"Why's he so popular?"_

_"Yeah!"_

You had shortly begun dating Camus, the third-oldest member as well as celloist of QUARTET NIGHT. After a few years of friendship, despite an uneven start, Camus had taken you by surprise and given you a heartfelt confession that you accepted without even a flicker of hesitation, your romantic feelings for each other mutual. While the two of you dated in secret, however, you grew aware of the people who actively despised Camus despite of the countless adoring fans who loved him. With QUARTET NIGHT's popularity rising steadily, the hateful comments against the five of them grew in quantity as well, and the ones that pinpointed Camus pierced your heart as though those comments were being aimed at you as well. Moreover, hate was not limited to online platforms. There were even instances when you would be sitting at your favourite tea rooms or coffee bars and overhear other people gossiping or snickering about your lover, insulting him behind his back amid cruel laughter. Camus had his flaws and weaknesses, and no one could be liked by everyone, but it did not justify the cruel treatment that he was receiving.

You noticed, however, that a common remark that he received was that he was scary. Intimidating. Unapproachable. Unreadable.

While you truly loved him with all your heart, you needed to be honest with yourself as well. And... it would be a lie to say that those particular remarks were entirely false in your opinion.

Entering the library café, you quietly asked a nearby attendant to take you to the private room that Camus was inside, the latter having made an early reservation. The attendant nodded with a friendly smile and brought you over to the wooden door near the bookshelves with modern classics, stating that Camus was already waiting inside. Smiling politely, you knocked on the door and carefully turned the knob, allowing yourself inside just after letting out a soft exhale.

"You have certainly kept me waiting."

Camus' deep voice reached your ears, causing your heart to pound.

"Moreover, you appear rather timorous compared to usual. Is something the matter?"

You froze into ice as you stared at your boyfriend, who was sitting on a wooden chair at the broad silver table, an elegant brow raised as his crystal-blue eyes bore into yours with a question for which he would, without a speck of doubt, not take a lie for an answer. The gap between Camus' idol persona in the public eye and the side of himself that he unveiled behind closed doors. The massive fanbase that he had garnered throughout his years as an idol was most familiar with, of course, his idol persona. Charismatic, charming as well as articulate, Camus was known to be a princely gentleman serving as the madams' butler onstage, as poised as he was impressively skilled at countless tasks and activities, his voice silky and alluring. He was well-mannered with a shatterproof composure, able to effortlessly relay any dialogue, be it honeyed compliments or gentle chiding, with unwavering patience and tenderness. However, the side of him that you were facing now, the side that fans were not nearly as adapted to, was like the moon to his idol persona's incandescent sun. While both sides were each a genuine part of who he was, Camus' personality outside of public scrutiny was a paradox when compared to his idol persona. 

Intelligent, sharp and cunning, Camus radiated a formidable, commanding aura and presence that were often perceived to be bone-chilling or intimidating. He did not hesitate to call others out on their nonchalance or foolish behaviour, his baritone voice low and even more so when dipped with sarcasm or criticism, and despite his predisposition for sweets or anything edible item with exceedingly high sugar levels, he was not the slightest bit inclined to glaze over cold facts with sugar for anyone. An immense, exquisite ice-cream sundae heaped with multiple scoops of a variety of flavours and toppings sat at the centre of the table, untouched with two silver spoons lying on a single folded tissue. His novel resting in one hand, his eyes never left yours, waiting for a response as he observed you slowly shifted yourself back to focus, straining to reorganize your thoughts. Slowly shaking your head, you did your best to ignore the words echoing in your mind as you smiled and answered as convincingly as you could in spite of the palpitating of your heart.

"I just got a bit carried away thinking, Camus," you assured him, closing the door behind you firmly. "I hope that I did not make you worry too much."

"Hmm." Camus examined your face, and your heart pounded. "Very well. Should you face any kind of difficulty, however, I hope that you do not hesitate to come to me." He crossed his arms, his voice stern. "You need not shoulder any burden on your own when I am here."

You smiled, despite how taken aback you were by the fact that he was not pushing the subject further. "I know. Thanks, Camus."

"You do not need to thank me. So, have a seat. The sundae is melting."

"Y-Yes!"

Slipping into your seat directly across from Camus, you set your book onto the table and quietly willed your heart to settle down as the platinum-blond count began dividing the sundae into two separate glass cups. When you first met and befriended the five members of QUARTET NIGHT, Camus was the one who intimidated you the most. A few years later, now in the present as you dated him, Camus was _still_ the one who intimidated you the most, by a substantial margin, for that matter. Even when you observed his onstage persona, you were hyperaware that he could not quite hide his aura, which was as commanding as it served as a warning to not oppose him, even when the smile curved by his lips was as angelic as it was pleasant and warm. Although you were his girlfriend as well as one of his closest associates, you could not help but notice that he was exceedingly difficult to read more than half the time, whether it was the stoic, unfaltering gaze in his ice-blue eyes, his relentless choices of wording, or his harsh criticism. Turning the pages of your book, you ended up recalling the comments that said that he was "scary" and if you were to be completely honest with yourself... you did find yourself scared of him too, at times. He would never hurt you - of course you knew that - but his strong layers and complexities were quite hard to figure out at times and...

_Why is it so hard to understand him, somehow?_

While a myriad of romance novels had a certain tendency to exaggerate the concept, somehow even they paled in comparison to what you were experiencing when it came to Camus, the man with dual personas that did not help untangle the muddle of confusion in your heart.

_Am I really... this scared of him...? Of the one and only person I lo-_

"I initially chose to close one eye to your blatant denial, but it appears that something is deeply troubling you."

Camus' deep voice dragged you out of your contemplation. Your breath caught in your throat, your eyes slowly widened when you found him no longer sitting across of you, but now sitting directly _beside_ you, having helped himself to a spare empty chair. As you struggled to come up with an explanation, two fingers held your chin and tipped your head up so that you were gazing straight into his ice-blue eyes that were now narrowed with a stern gaze.

"What is on your mind?" His words sounded more like a quiet demand rather than a question. "Rest assured that I will not be letting this subject drop nearly as easily as before."

If this were a chess game, you knew for sure that he was about to checkmate you, having cornered you with his mind accurately deducing the state of your mind and heart, his eyes too observant for you to fool and too focused for you to divert elsewhere. Even though you wished that you could turn away, his grip on your chin, while somewhat gentle, was consistently firm, refusing to budge as his stare held you in place. 

Relinquishing a quivering breath that gave you away even more, you did your best to return his gaze and began.

"Is it bad... if I say that there are times when I'm scared of you?" Your voice was meek.

Camus' eyes widened marginally, your words not quite what he had expected. However, his expression did not take long to reclaim its cool exterior as he studied your expression, his voice quiet yet unreadable.

"Explain." It was not a question.

"I love you, Camus. I love you with all my heart - you know that." You were unsure if you were conveying your feelings properly, but the words slipped out quicker than your mind could piece them into their best formats. "But... most of the time, it's really hard to tell what you're thinking or feeling, if you know what I mean. I... I _know_ that you will never hurt me, I know that you feel the same way I do, but it's just... I don't know why I'm feeling like this, why I find myself thinking too much myself when I know that what a lot of the things others say about you are not true."

You stumbled in your words, your heart beating too fast.

"Maybe it's just that... I'm scared... that I will not ever be used to all of it... maybe."

_"Is he a demon incarnate?"_

The question from before resounded in your head like a voice over a frozen lake as Camus' eyes remained in yours, a fog cast over crystal blue as silence engulfed the private room. Was he angry? Upset? Confused? Maybe... hurt? You could not tell, because the expression on his face was possibly the most unreadable face of his that you had ever borne witness to. His quiet sigh shifted your mind from your thoughts back to him, and you found him staring at you with a now-serious stare with eyes that pierced through your soul like ice. Out of a flicker of panic, you opened your mouth to stammer something out, but he stopped you before you had the chance.

"It is not uncommon for people to shrink back in my presence."

His voice was low and quiet, strangely devoid of any anger.

"However, I never intended to scare, let alone intimidate, the one on the receiving end of my affections. Do you know that?"

Your eyes widened as blood rushed through your cheeks. "Camus-"

"I have to concede that it is difficult to quite have a proper read on me from face value," he continued, his fingers moving so that his hand was now caressing your cheek with soft yet certain movement. Your heart thumped as he spoke. "I am not without flaws either, and it is up to you to judge how severe they are. While I have an unwavering sense of pride, I have myself to partly blame for you being... taken aback by my presence despite our current relationship. In addition to that..."

Camus' eyes mellowed, his next words nearly inaudible.

"I would not blame you either... if you believe that we are not a match for each other, contrary to my own beliefs."

Your words died in your throat as your mind was thrown into disarray at his quiet words. He could not truly believe that you wanted to leave him, could he? He could not possibly think that, right? Then again... considering what you had just told him... After being on the receiving end of pitch silence for a couple more moments, Camus heaved out a soft sigh, pulling his hand from your cheek as he mumbled an apology if he had made you uncomfortable. Just as he began to rise from his chair, he felt a smaller hand grab his own, tighter than he recalled it ever being. Puzzled, he turned to ask what you were doing, only to be immediately cut off by your lips sealing his in an abrupt yet fervent kiss.

 _Wait._ He could feel your words pleading him as you tightened your grip on his hand and pulled him closer, his eyes wide with surprise. It was the first kiss that you had ever initiated with him. _Please don't go._

Before he could respond, however, you pulled away, breaking the kiss. Your face was burning red with sheer embarrassment as you looked down, trying to come up with an explanation for everything, including that kiss that definitely lacked both poise and grace. Lifting your head up, you tried to speak. "Cam-" You were halted by his lips that immediately seized the opportunity to land on yours, capturing you in yet another kiss. You could feel your heart thudding in mayhem in your chest as Camus elegantly slipped one arm around your waist and cupped your cheek with his free hand, and you felt your own eyes slip into a close as you clung onto his shoulders and returned the kiss. Noticing your reciprocation, Camus smirked slightly and pulled you closer as he deepened the kiss, his lips engulfing yours as his fingers slowly stroked your cheek in a way that drove your senses even more out of control. Craving more of the your sweetness, he hummed into the kiss as his cold hands and the ardour of your shared passion formed a juxtaposition, your fingers now tangled in his blond locks as you lost yourself within him.

You gasped when his teeth tugged at your bottom lip, and with a sly smirk, he took advantage of it to further dominate the kiss, like a player declaring checkmate in a single, decisive move in chess. The strange thing was that you did not feel scared, let alone intimidated, of him even though this was you at your most vulnerable, cornered with no one to save you, nowhere to hide, no space for doubt or uncertainty. A thought sank within your mind. _Did he... did Camus plan this?_ When you pulled away to breathe, your face a dark shade of crimson, you found yourself facing Camus, who was observing you with a smug, knowing smirk even as he inhaled and exhaled himself. His chuckle deep, his eyes reverted back to a more-serious expression as he pulled you towards him by the hand and held your hand towards his lips.

" _'Is he a demon incarnate?'_ That was one of the questions that concerned you, correct? Do recall that I was beside you when we overheard a random peasant uttering foolish gossip behind my back."

Your heart trembled as he dipped his head down and planted a soft kiss on your knuckles, his breath hot against your hand.

"Well... he was not too far from the truth."

Lifting his gaze to focus directly on you, Camus smiled, his blue eyes dark with silent promises of what was to come.

"After all, darling..." his tone was low, "I am the demon who has you in a well-crafted trap. You do not have to be rigidly formal with me. Neither do you have to force yourself to be perfect or hide a single insecurity from me. For if you wish for it... with a single kiss, all that will be left for you to drown in is my love."

...

"That went from zero to a hundred _way_ too quickly."

Ranmaru snarked, a sly grin spread across his face.

"This story's gonna blow up once it's published, and Camus will be at the dead centre of it. Good job, Ai. _Really_ good job returning the favour for me."

"It was nothing, Ranmaru," Ai replied, his smile faint with mischief. "I was simply portraying Camus and his different personalities with the best of my abilities. I will be sure to record everyone's reactions including those of the fans in due time. Considering your reactions, there is a guarantee of multiple dissimilar results that will make for an interesting case study."

"Could we kindly move forward?" Camus sighed, his cheeks a faint pink, which made Ranmaru and Reiji grin as Natsuki smiled reassuringly and Ai chuckled. "While I am certain that there are particular peasants who would like nothing more than to _tease_ me, it would be efficient to move on and read the next piece of writing."

"If it makes you feel better, Myu-chan," Reiji mentioned, his grin cheeky, "you look kinda cute all blushy like that. Really cute, actually. We almost never get to see you blush!"

"I am _not_ cute." Camus narrowed his eyes.

"But you are, Myu-chan," Natsuki remarked, giving Camus a sincere smile. With or without you blushing, you're really adorable and lovable! But since you're still blushing, it means that your heart is still beating unsteadily, right? So how about I brew a full mug of your favourite butterfly pea milk tea?"

"Natsuki, I believe that you may have flustered Camus even more," Ai commented, letting out a chuckle as he noticed the colour on Camus' cheeks intensify a little.

"Ehh?" Natsuki blinked in confusion as Ranmaru smirked. "But I didn't do anything!"

"Actually, kiddo, you did _everything_."

"I would like to take you up on that offer, Natsuki," Camus stated, his eyes softening in spite of his flustered state of being. "However, please be sure to add more sugar cubes than usual. I concede to having more necessity for them."

"Yep, Myu-chan!"

"Before you leave for the kitchen, Natsuki," Ai said, taking Natsuki by the hand just before the sunshine blond got up from his cushion, "I am quite certain that it is time to reveal who the fourth pair is."

"By that, you mean who the next _victim_ is, correct?" Camus remarked.

"Considering our catastrophic track record, that may as well be the case."

"Ran-Ran's the writer, right?" Reiji asked, causing Ranmaru to blanch. "So, who did you get, Ran-Ran?"

"Considering who the only other person remaining on the list is, as well as the rule stating that no one individual can write about himself," Ai stated, his voice as thoughtful as the gaze in his teal eyes, "it is quite clear who is being featured in Ranmaru's story."

Ai looked directly at Ranmaru, his gaze intensifying like waves.

"Your writing is about Natsuki, isn't it? Which is why your face is as pale as it is now."

"Maru-chan?" Natsuki's voice was soft as his innocuous emerald eyes widened. His expression was one of genuine surprise as he faced his polar opposite, who was currently contemplating his terrible luck as well as straining to understand just what _sin_ he had committed to deserve this. "You wrote about me?"

"Hey... You know what?" Ranmaru tried to speak calmly, carefully scooting away from the group with his mind screaming for him to make a run for it. _Now_. "I think I'm gonna leave you lot to read what I've written while I go and prepare the hole to bury myself within inside my room. Well, if you guys don't bury me first. So yeah, I'm just gonna go and-"

"You are not going anywhere." 

A hand clamped down on his shoulder, causing him to freeze. Camus' lips wore a seemingly pleasant smile that caused an icy chill to dribble down Ranmaru's spine.

"All of us who have had our turns had observed everyone's reactions to our works of art, so it is only fair that you stay and do the same, correct?"

"Fleeing is one of the most obvious signs of guilt," Ai stated matter-of-factly as his emotionless stare was aimed straight at Ranmaru. Reiji, who had been sitting at the opposite side of the table, moved so that he was now taking a seat at the empty spot beside Ranmaru, leaving the rocker no room to escape. "If you were truly innocent - a word that does not exist in your dictionary on a daily basis - you would not be this petrified of what is to come. Therefore, while you are here with us, we are now even more keen to discover the answer to this question."

Natsuki's green eyes were filled with concern not for what was inside the story, but for Ranmaru, who was mentally cursing his luck as Ai narrowed his eyes.

"What, exactly, have you written?"

...

 **Collaboration Pair IV:** Ranmaru Kurosaki - Natsuki Shinomiya  
**Writer:** Ranmaru Kurosaki  
**Featured Idol:** Natsuki Shinomiya  
**Special Mission?:** No

**Violin Crusade**

_"My love, meet me by the arches of the garden at 8 p.m. sharp. There is something that I wish to confess to you."_

Although the words were written on paper - small white note, to be exact - you could hear Natsuki's warm voice speaking to you in your heart, tender and almost hushed.

_"I know you worry a lot about what to wear, but no matter what you choose, you're beautiful. Just come as you are and you will be clad in beautiful moonlight as the beautiful you."_

If there was a single person that could be considered the embodiment of a ballad, it was none other than Natsuki Shinomiya, a young man blessed with not only a beautiful, tender voice, but also a kind and beautiful heart that touched the souls of those around him. Tucking the note back into the small pocket of your sling bag, you drew closer to the garden hidden amid the city that had come alive with its neon lights and blaring rhapsodies, the trails of noise and blinding colours left behind in the distance. You and Natsuki had known each other for years, but the two of you had just begun dating less than a year ago. You remembered being moved to tears when Natsuki confessed to you with a shy yet adoring smile, the heart that had been yearning for him skipping too many times as his gaze filled you with warmth. You had always known how beautiful he was, both inside and out, his selfless innocence ceaselessly glowing in his leaf-green eyes, his gentle kindness radiating each time he held out a helping hand that was as strong as it encouraged and reassured. You loved him over the years, but chose to not act upon it out of fear of hurting him, for had your feelings not been reciprocated, his heart would have broken for you.

He loved so painfully much. Whether it was romantic affections, brotherly love, familial love or caring for the fans, he loved incredibly, innocently much. However... 

Sometimes you were worried that he was not receiving nearly as much love in return.

You had nothing to worry about when it came to his biological family and fellow QUARTET NIGHT members, for all of them deeply loved and treasured Natsuki with every bit of their hearts. However, despite his years of being a full-time idol, countless strangers and fans still made too many false assumptions about his personality, believing him to simply comprise of a few characteristics when he was much more than that. Too many people glanced at his direction and dismissed him as childish, oblivious and lacking in average intelligence, snickering and laughing about him behind his back. They deemed him to be simple when they were the ones being shallow to the young man who wanted nothing more than to be incandescent for others, even them, and it never failed to pierce your heart. As you walked through the arches over which vines of climbing hydrangeas, the blue moonlight illumining the sleeping greenery, your heart was silently buried within your sorrow at the thought of Natsuki's warm smile that hid layers and layers of pain and grief as the leaves rustled with the movements of a couple of common nightingales. You wanted to love him and cherish him with as much as he loved and cherished you.

The problem was that... you did not feel like you were giving him nearly enough.

He gave and deserved so painfully much, but you were not sure that you could give even half of what he was giving you.

When you reached the entrance to the fountain area, the sounds of a certain stringed instrument touched and travelled throughout the near silent atmosphere, seemingly illuminating the stars and the golden lamplights like the melody was creating a silent illusion of brightness. It did not ring as out of the ordinary at first - Natsuki did love playing his instruments even during his free time - but when it truly registered which instrument it was, your footsteps halted with your heart. _It's the violin._ While he had recuperated from his past's anguish enough to return to playing the violin, everyone, including yourself, still witnessed him playing the viola considerably more often than the violin, and he was seen with the violin even less often during his leisure time. So... what prompted him to play the elusive instrument tonight? 

Quietly as to not disturb him, you took slow yet steady steps around the large white fountain, its abundant cascades of water reflecting the colours of scintillating gold and silver, the acute rhythm of the piercing violin tender and delicate, just like the heart of the one weaving the melody to life. It did not take long for you to find a single figure standing by the other side of the lone fountain, positioned in the impeccable form for a violinist: feet slightly apart, violin perched on his left shoulder, right hand flowing forward and back as it held the bow and danced it across long, narrow white strings. Given how bright and cheerful he could be with his never-ending giving of warm and tight hugs, people had a tendency to forget how elegant and eloquent he could be if he wanted to be. In fact, it was that inimitable, smooth-transitioning duality that drew countless towards him without him even realizing it more than half the time. He was enchanting as it was when you stood a couple of feet away with his back facing you. However, as deep as he was within his own melody, he heard you coming, and so with his eyes still gently closed, a small smile reached his lips as he turned in one graceful half-spin. And when his eyes opened ever so slightly and smiled at you, your heart nearly stopped beating as every trace of breath seemed to dissipate at the sight of him.

_Natsuki..._

A sense of sensuality was a quality that he was said to lack, given his innocent outlook of everything in general, but while sensuality was a trait that quite a number of alluring men used to their advantage, he did not need it to draw you in, for seeing him closely just like this was perfectly enough. Clad in a clean, classy white shirt with a pink Japanese anemone attached, as well as well-fitted black jeans and dark bronze loafers, Natsuki gave you a small, soft smile before allowing his eyes to fall back into a silent close and he stepped back a little and continued playing a melody that you now knew for sure was a slow-paced ballad. How strange was it that strangers were too assuming about his love for cuteness that they failed to notice that almost all of his songs most certainly did not fall into that category but instead, were scattered in dissimilar genres with an overlap that was his heart and its overflowing feelings. The glow of the lamplights made his golden locks resemble the halo of an angel, and honestly, to you, he was truly an angel, your angel. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a lone black jacket folded on the edge of the fountain and you began to wonder how cold Natsuki was feeling given how it had rained earlier in the day, going as far as to take his jacket off to perform for you. 

He loved you too much.

The thought silently cracked at your heart as you were drawn closer to the sadness intertwining with the voice of the violin without him needing to say a word, without so much as a tiny smile.

Beautiful and cherished by the moon and stars alike... he truly gave you too much.

"Just a while back, I learned a new word. Crusade."

His soft voice dipped into your heart. While your eyes focused on his serene, closed eyes, you barely felt the song slow to a soundless end.

"A crusade is a grand and planned effort that is made for a cause that is believed to be deserving. As elegant as the word sounds, the word 'crusade' is often used in cruel, painful contexts. 'A crusade against him'. 'A crusade against violence'. 'A crusade against war'..." His voice was almost hushed, like a lullaby. "The word 'against'... It's painful, isn't it?"

Your heartbeat was loud and unsteady in your ears. When the melody faded into the cold night, Natsuki lowered his bow and violin down to the fountain surface on which his jacket lied. Releasing a quiet breath that fogged up the cold air in an evanescent white, he turned to you, his eyes soft and warm as deep, innocent green was illumined by the moon, gazing at you with emotions deep enough to pull your heart even closer to his own.

"But this... this is my declaration of a crusade."

His words lowered into a hushed whisper, he drew closer to you, his footsteps soft and even, the tender gaze in his eyes glimmering with feelings that were laced with unspoken sadness that caused your breath to be caught in the hollow of your throat. When he was just inches away from you, he stopped walking and held your sides, his voice laced with the same feelings conveyed by his lowered eyes, beautiful yet gently melancholic, a sheer contrast to the bright side of him that did not hesitate to give honest, warm compliments to the point of flustering the ones he cherished the most.

"My crusade... to be someone deserving of your love."

Before you could even begin to recover from the sheer weight of his words, he dipped his head down and placed his lips over your own, warm, tender and innocent as his hands held you firmly. Your heart fluttering like the rapid wings of a butterfly, you reached for his shoulders as you leaned up and kissed him back, hoping that your own emotions reached him like how his reached yours. He loved so much that too many people forgot that he wanted and deserved to be loved as well, even if just a little. Even though he did not say it aloud, a single glimpse of the sadness behind his gentle smile was more than enough to tell that the way countless people treated him, casting him aside and stereotyping him without cease, did hurt him deeply, regardless how much he hid it, especially when they deemed him to not be enough when he had always been more than enough. As you closed your eyes, his hand slipped away and landed on the side of your cheek, angling your face so that he could deepen the kiss, silent emotions submerging the both of you further into each other like dusk into the endless night.

The song from the elusive violin was the beginning of his crusade just for you.

To be enough for you, to be deserving of all of you.

To be able to give you his heart, just like you had given him yours.

He stopped for a moment, his index finger carefully tracing the curve of your lip as his eyes lingered within your gaze. And when he dove down into yet another kiss, it was with a strength that had been hidden deep within his heart before. He nipped your lip, pulling at it softly, and your eyes widened as you inadvertently parted your lips, a shudder running down your spine at the change in Natsuki's movements, how while he was still being soft, innocent and loving... there now came a silent sense of sensuality that almost no one believed him to be capable of expressing. He pressed a little closer, firmer, as he intensified the kiss like a gentle candlelight growing deeper as it glowed alone in a single place of darkness, taking in the sounds of your shaky breaths and the way your fingers intertwined with his wavy blond locks, how you, despite his feelings about himself, yearned for him and wanted him. The hidden sides of him, the different sides of him, everything that may often seem to make him a walking paradox... he wished for all of that made him who he was to be truly loved, deeply loved, by you. 

It was a strange kind of irony.

You wanted to be deserving of him; he wanted give you everything.

He wanted to be deserving of you; you wanted to give him everything.

Two crusades centring around each other... completed only by each other.

If only feelings were much simpler...

It was a quiet lament that was not quite heard or noticed by either of you as the two of you pulled away to breathe, your heart beating with an unstable rhythm as you stared at him with pure emotion. Being the first to recollect himself, Natsuki let out a deep breath and gave you a small, affectionate smile as he took both of your hands and intertwined their fingers with his own, his face softer than before. 

"Natsuki..."

You barely managed to whisper. Slowly, he shook his head with a smile, and spoke.

"In this crusade, I know that there are so many people who want you" he confessed, his voice quiet, his gaze delicate under the warm glow of the lamplights, "and that I lack in so many things that they have so much of. I may not be as good as being classy or sensual or enigmatic as many of them are. Neither can I be much on my own, let alone without an instrument or a voice. But... you opened my heart and I want you to feel what I feel. I want to open your heart and give you the love that you deserve, every bit of me if it means that you can smile in earnest."

His hands squeezing yours softly, his smile was sincere.

"As humbly as it sounds and is, I offer you the melody of an instrument that I will play for your eyes and ears only. So..." 

His smile held a quiet, tender promise, only for you to remember.

"Will you hold my heart?"

...

"... Ranmaru."

"... what?"

"Did you hire someone to write this for you?"

"You think I had paid someone to do my freaking work?" Ranmaru yelled, glaring at Camus whose solemn gaze hid a smug smirk. "After the nights I spent freaking out over this piece of work, after all the research and studying that I had to do for this, you think that my efforts were some random guy's work for hire?"

"Do enlighten us on the process of completing this story," Ai requested, tilting his head thoughtfully. "Because this is quite the development. I was quite sure that I would see numerous curse words scratched out in this draft."

"Oi-"

"How did you come up with this narrative for our sweet Nattsun, Ran-Ran?"

"While you lot always have something to say about my temper, this story is partly a result of me being real mad about something I noticed some scums sayin' about Natsuki," Ranmaru began, narrowing his eyes as he clenched his fists, his face burning in utter embarrassment from witnessing first-hand the four of them reading his attempt at writing romance. "It was the base of the story - them talking smack about him the way they did. Just because he is kind and innocent and freaking _lovable_ , it doesn't give them the right to walk over him like he's dirt when _they're_ the ones who should be dumped into the bin. And ain't no way am I gonna accept anyone sayin' that Natsuki is simplistic. He _ain't_ , and that was what I wanted to say when I wrote for this assignment."

"Ran-Ran..."

" _And_ I couldn't exactly let myself be upstaged by you lot, as it meant that that _both_ Natsuki and I would be as this story was about him. So, as much as I cringed and writhed in suffering while doing so, I learned new vocab and read cheesy romance novels to get a flow on how to write this properly so that I didn't have to redo this whole nutjob of an assignment, and I did my research on descriptions that could help convey solid facts. That even though he's still learning, Natsuki can be romantic and he's gonna master it in no time so long as he keeps lookin' straight ahead."

His face, despite still crimson, was defiant. 

"So butcher me all you want, but I _ain't_ rewriting this. And that's 'cause I did this for kiddo, and this is my crusade of feelings in a piece of writing."

They knew that Ranmaru was being serious, but Camus, Ai and Reiji could not help but find the expression somewhat - although ironically - amusing. However, above that, the three males, despite often teasing the second-oldest of the quintet, were genuinely moved by how much Ranmaru cared about Natsuki, to the extent that he faced this assignment without holding back despite how much it made his mind whirl. Exchanging sincere smiles, the three of them faced Natsuki, whose green eyes were wide with pure astonishment as his cheeks glowed a bright red. With a soft, knowing smile, Reiji got up and moved so that Natsuki could step closer and take a seat next to Ranmaru, whose expression was still filled with utter embarrassment and was even almost bashful. 

"Maru-chan?" Natsuki asked softly.

"Y... Yeah?"

Natsuki's eyes turned warmer as he carefully wrapped his arms around Ranmaru and pulled him into a tender bear hug.

"H-Hey-"

"Thank you."

Closing his eyes, Natsuki held Ranmaru a bit closer, leaning his head into his chest.

"Thank you, Maru-chan."

Even though heat swelled up in his face, Ranmaru sighed with a gentler smile as he gave the younger blond a pat on the head and carded his fingers through his golden locks, his heart calmed by Natsuki's kindness. "Sure, kiddo. You'd have done the same for me anyway."

He raised his head and gave a half-glare to Camus, Reiji and Ai.

"Unlike _some people_ who would write you falling flat on your face."

The five of them laughed as they remained seated beside one another at the glass coffee table, a brief moment of cherished serenity amid the pandemonium of chaos revolving around each and every single one of them. After a short while, they returned to their original seats, and thus, the assignment, as Camus poured chamomile spearmint tea into their empty teacups.

"There is only one piece of writing remaining, am I correct?"

"Written by Natsuki," Ai confirmed, a small smile on his face, "and featuring Reiji."

"So that night I asked if you loved the person you're writing about," Reiji began, turning around, "and you said that he was really kind, amazing and sweet..." his eyes began to light up, just like his voice, as he wrapped an arm around Natsuki, "you were talking about me?"

"That description applies to _all_ of us when used by our kiddo," Ranmaru pointed out.

"Aww, don't ruin the moment, Ran-Ran!" Reiji pouted as he hugged Natsuki tightly.

"It is true, though."

"Nattsun, Ai-Ai is- Nattsun?"

Reiji noticed the lack of response from Natsuki, who seemed to be unfocused. His heart welling up with worry, Reiji took Natsuki by the hand and squeezed gently as Ai, Ranmaru and Camus began to notice that something was not quite right.

"Nattsun, are you okay?"

"Eto..." Natsuki's voice was barely audible as he slowly lifted his gaze, his gaze bashful. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking that um... I'm next, right? You guys... are going to read what I have written about Rei-Rei, right?"

"If you are concerned as to whether you have done an adequate job, you have nothing to worry about," Camus stated, folding his arms with a small smile. "You have written a myriad of beautiful pieces vibrant with emotion. Moreover, I am quite certain that everyone in this room was secretly hoping that you were their writer. That is correct, is it not, Reiji, Ai, Ranmaru?"

"You're the only one whom I know for a fact would _not_ write me into some embarrassing scenario," Ranmaru stated, a half-grin on his face as he leaned forward and ruffled Natsuki's hair good-naturedly. "And not make me wanna bury myself into a hole on Valentine's Day. Whatever it is you're about to show, I'm sure Reiji's _insanely_ lucky you're the one writing about him."

"You guys are truly kind," Natsuki said quietly, a small smile tugged at his lips as Ai nodded in agreement and Reiji rubbed his back with a tender gaze. "All of you. But that's not the main problem, actually. The thing is... You guys remember when Shining-san said that he was giving one of us a Special Mission?"

Natsuki swallowed a bit, his heart wavering.

"It's me." His confession was quiet. "And that condition made me write something that I never thought I would be writing nearly this soon."

Reiji, Ai, Ranmaru and Camus all stared at their innocent best friend with varying levels of shock, worry and last but definitely not least, utter horror and fear. Natsuki's normally-bright green eyes were currently flooded with pure uncertainty and worry, and he definitely would not be in such an anxious state if this was merely something trivial, so... Just what on earth had Shining made him do? What on literal earth was this Special Mission that Shining had forced Natsuki to write to the point that it must have affected the entire story? Was this why Natsuki was made to go last? His arm tightening around Natsuki, Reiji glanced at the others in pure worry and opened his mouth to speak, only for the sunshine blond to stop him.

"Myu-chan... do you remember the three books you lent me?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Camus' voice was careful. Concerned. "A classic, a mild portrayal, and... that dark, advanced novel." An ominous feeling settled in his gut. "Why do you ask?"

"I read all of them at least a bit," Natsuki explained, his voice soft as he picked up his draft from the glass table, "but given what my story for Rei-Rei was about, I had to focus mainly on one. And..."

He held out the draft to Camus, his olive eyes lowered to the sheet as his hand trembled. When Camus accepted it and lowered his eyes to the title, his ice-blue eyes slowly dilated as his face, despite his usual composure, visibly paled.

"It's the third novel." Barely able to hear himself, Natsuki hugged his fawn plush tightly, his face a vivid rose colour as Ranmaru buried his face into his hands and Reiji's face began to turn warmer. "You guys will see in the story why, and I... I'm so, so sorry, Rei-Rei. I am so sorry."

...

 **Collaboration Pair V:** Natsuki Shinomiya - Reiji Kotobuki  
**Writer:** Natsuki Shinomiya  
**Featured Idol:** Reiji Kotobuki  
**Special Mission?:** Yes

**Shadow of a Kiss**

_He is like an eclipse, cloaked in darkness and light in a way that cannot quite be explained..._

Footsteps echoing, breaths soft and white, you could feel your soul falling deeper and deeper into his every movement as his eyes gazed into yours with a soft smile that somehow hinted at unspoken words that resembled silhouettes unmasking themselves from an inherent glow that had been the illusion burying them from sight. He was transparent and yet an enigma; an answer yet an intricate riddle in a single being, with more sides and layers that your head could keep track and count of. The words seeped into your mind like a shadow bleeding in the light as your body instinctively followed the dizzying spins and turns of the young man leading you in an intoxicating dance around the bright, grand ballroom.

_Even as he smiles at me now..._

Your fingers twined with his, you barely stifled a gasp as he dipped you backwards and his body leaned over yours, an almost-intrigued expression hazing over his grey eyes as his lips quirked into a small smile.

_I am not at all sure what he's feeling. What is going on inside your heart... Rei?_

"You're thinking especially hard inside your bright mind. Too hard to the point that I can't seem to immerse you in this dance."

His arm curling around your waist a little tighter, Reiji looked deeply into your eyes, an expression of fog and mist shrouded over his own grey eyes even as he addressed you softly.

"Let me guess... You're having trouble reading my mind and heart... aren't you, love?"

Your eyes widened at his words, immediately giving away the answer to him. The truth was, it had been quite a heavy, labyrinthine dilemma that you had been faced with not only tonight, but ever since the first time you had gotten to witness the different, complex sides of Reiji that resembled mirages given how quietly and deftly he hid them from prying eyes. The countless strangers who looked upon him and believed him to be a simply carefree, hyperactive and ceaselessly happy and unassuming idol who was the oldest member of QUARTET NIGHT could not be more inaccurate in their judgement of Reiji, your close friend who had become your lover. While it was true that Reiji deeply considered other people's feelings and often made a myriad of jokes to incite laughter from those around him, beneath his seemingly-carefree exterior was a man who not only had several years of experience at his disposal, but was also as naturally intelligent as well as sharp-witted. Just because his tongue was not sharp and he remained quiet when people were lying to his face, it did not at all mean that he was unaware of the attempts at deception. Rather, he was awaiting the perfect opportunity to unveil the tricks that he had under his sleeve, hidden behind a calm, unsuspecting smile.

Even you, who had been close to him for years, still could not quite predict his next move or read his mind, let alone look beyond the surface of his hypnotizing grey eyes and into his layered heart. Giving him a pure, disbelieving stare, you could feel warmth pooling within your red cheeks as he leaned closer, his arm still wrapped around your waist, his eyes already reading the answers that he was searching for simply by watching your face, his breath on your lips causing a silent shiver to run down your back when even the coldness of the empty ballroom did no such thing. When you agreed to meet him at the ballroom about a couple of hours after all the guests had left, just shy of midnight, you had not quite expected to find yourself this trapped under the silent magnetism of his smile, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Even as you gave him a nod, too caught up in his intensity to even utter a single syllable regardless how soft or incoherent, you could not tell what he was thinking as the fog within his eyes thickened and his stare remained fixated on you, much akin to the mist shrouding the eclipse of the Prussian blue sky.

He was the magician and you were his one and only special guest at the front-row seat.

Even if he were to hold out all of the cards and tell you to choose one, you could never pick, for you could not guess which card was which.

He was the illusionist who knew precisely how oblivious you were...

And had in his mind the perfect card for you.

"You want to know my deepest intentions and desires, don't you? You want to know the secret behind every illusion and trick, don't you, my beloved?"

Wearing a thin yet slick white glove complimenting his suit, Reiji let go of your hand and slowly traced the curve of your shoulder and neck, all the way up to your face, his fingers cupping your chin delicately. His chuckle was quiet but a few notes deeper than usual when he noticed the goosebumps forming on your skin, and leaning forward, his lips were barely brushing over your ear, a gesture that caused your body to let out an involuntary shudder, and murmured.

"Don't you know that you already know the answers you want?"

His lips quirked into a small but palpable smile as he felt you stiffen in surprise in his arms, his voice coated with sheer intention.

"Perhaps I need to put on a grander show. Can you tell where I am going with this, my dear?"

It was almost as though he was speaking a language that you could vaguely recognize as he peered into your eyes and chuckled lightly at your frozen expression. As though under a magic spell, you could hardly hear even your own footsteps as he wrapped his arm around the small of your back and led you out of the hollow ballroom, the moon being your only silent witness. You knew that Reiji had changed sides, now uncloaking the side of him that sharply contrasted the cheerful, happy and loud maracas-loving idol radiating with bright charisma and charming winks. What seemed to be brimming with light was now overtaken by shadows that sent icy thrills down your spine and into your deafening heart as he guided you down the secret passage down the stairs and into the corridor where your suite was. You could hardly hear your own uneven breaths as he took a single silver key out of his pocket and easily unlocked the door, not even needing to watch the lock as his grey eyes lingered upon you. Without so much as a warning, as soon as the door was opened wide enough, his hand pulled you inside and you barely heard the door shut as you were pinned against its surface, one of his hands rested beside your head while the other locked the door firmly.

His card had been revealed. Spell casted. Magic words uttered.

"Rei-"

You gasped as he leaned down and captured your lips with his own, his mouth devouring yours like shadows engulfing shreds of light in a hard, passionate kiss. As you lost yourself within the kiss, your hands reached towards him, only for him to capture your hands with his own and pin yours back against the door, further sealing the deal as you were completely trapped between the surface and him. Kissing him back, you could feel your heart burning alight in the ashes of your shared ardour as his teeth lightly grazed your bottom lip and tugged lovingly, darkening and deepening the kiss at the same time, and without so much as a thought, you opened your mouth and let him take even further control as you were engulfed by his shadows, bewitched by him.

You were the house of cards that he had unravelled with a single, calculated whisper of wind.

You knew it too well as he pulled away just enough to let you breathe, his grey eyes a few shades darker as his lips curved into a smile that was tender and yet dark with intent, reflecting thoughts that you would stammer to speak aloud, especially with how uncontrollably fast your heart was pounding in your chest and how much heat had accumulated in your cheeks. His chuckle low, his grey eyes drew yours in as his lips brushed upon yours from above, a silent temptation that was too much for you to handle, his fingers slowly stroking your cheek as his other hand adjusted its position so that both of your hands were pinned right above you firmly.

He had not only unravelled you.

With just a few moves, carefully crafted and executed... he had _enraptured_ you.

"You're the one holding my heart in their hands."

He kissed you again, his lips slowly opening yours as he stole your breath away, and pulled away with eyes glazed over with underlying shadows.

"That means that you're the one who knows all my tricks and cards, who has unravelled me from one corner to another, layer after layer, you know?"

The moonlight barely managed to seep into the bedroom as his lips curled into a darker smirk, his voice dipped into a tone befitting his words. His fingers tilted your chin up so that your eyes could focus on him and only him, the illusionist who claimed to have been unravelled by you when it seemed too much more like the opposite was what actually happened - a twisted irony, an unorthodox spell.

"The sun is down and all that is left is the night's chandelier. Under the moonlight, you see the 'me' that most neither notice nor regard. Silent, suave... perhaps even dangerous. But the truth is, my dear, you do not shy away. Neither are you afraid as I pull you closer, like so, and gaze into your eyes. My love... tonight, in our shadows..."

His voice breathed into your ear, intentionally soft, his words almost sinful like the smirk in his eyes.

"I have stolen your heart."

...

By the time everyone had finished reading the last story, the living room had fallen into thick, deafening silence, stunned.

Reiji had been the first to scream with his face blushing madly, catching on to where the narration was going, burying his face into his palms in uncharacteristic embarrassment mixed with pure disbelief. It did not take long for Ranmaru to follow suit, gasping aloud in utter terror as realization sank in like darkness, yelling incoherently at what he was reading as even the calm Ai and Camus stared at the story in pure shock. By the time the story finished, _all_ five members were blushing deeply, their hears barely beating steadily, whether the colours apparent were either a light rosy pink like Ai's cheeks or a deep shade of scarlet like those of poor Reiji who felt like his soul was departing from his body.

Natsuki, who had quietly observed all of his fellow QUARTET NIGHT members, was curled up with his fawn plush wrapped in his arms a little too tightly, rocking back and forth slightly as his heart pounded and his face was warm with a deep cerise colour. When four flustered faces turned to stare directly at him, Natsuki felt his breath caught in a lump in his throat as he was not sure how to even begin explaining this story. However, when Reiji placed a hand on his shoulder, the words began tumbling out like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

"Shining-san's Special Mission was for me to write a dark, intense kiss."

Natsuki revealed, his voice barely above a whisper. Reiji, Ai, Camus and Ranmaru had all suspected that much based on what they had read, but hearing the confirmation made their cheeks flare up even more, the written words reverberating in their minds. However, despite his incredibly disoriented state, Reiji sincerely hoped that Natsuki knew that none of them were mad or upset at him as the brunet gave him a reassuring squeeze. As much as that story had led to utter disarray and chaos, none of them could deny that they could feel how much heart and effort Natsuki had poured into that piece of writing.

"I barely knew what kind of kiss that was, so I did a lot of studying, starting with reading Myu-chan's books. I searched up different kinds of kisses online and found a lot of different things that I really wanted to ask you guys about but couldn't as it would have given me away. And... because Rei-Rei was the one I was writing about and I couldn't at all imagine him giving a lover a dark, intense kiss, I searched again and found a video compilation of his different kiss scenes throughout his acting career and watched-"

"Wait, you _what_?"

His eyes dilating in utter horror and perturbation, Reiji grabbed Natsuki by the shoulders and shook him with his face burning even more, internally pleading that he did not just hear the poor, innocent blond right.

"What video was that? And which and what kisses did the creator put?"

"E-Eto..."

Blushing, Natsuki reached for his yellow cellphone and searched up the video that he had used as reference for the story featuring Reiji. Letting out a soft, uneven breath, Natsuki gave him an apologetic look and held his phone screen towards Reiji, whose face immediately turned white at the title 'Different Types of Kisses Featuring Reiji Kotobuki of QUARTET NIGHT'. As soon as they saw Reiji's pale face, it took only a single glance between Camus, Ranmaru and Ai to spring into action.

"We're playing that video _now_!"

"No, we aren't! It's bad enough that Nattsun had to watch it; I don't want you guys watching too! It's super _embarrassing_!"

"On the contrary, we are. We need to know the extent of the damage done so that we can help Natsuki's cause."

"Natsuki, what is the title of the video?"

"Don't tell them, Nat- Ai-Ai, give it back!"

Reiji buried his face into Natsuki's shoulder in burning shame, too aware that he had been horribly outnumbered as Ai, who was now in possession of Natsuki's cellphone, connected it to the television, allowing the video to appear full-screen when Camus switched it on. As soon as the first kiss appeared on the television screen, Reiji and Ranmaru were shrieking and screaming as Ai ran a hand soothingly up and down a flustered Natsuki's back and Camus mumbled a prayer for this quintet. This video, much to no one's surprise, had kisses involving the usage of the wall, which was why it ended up being featured in the fifth and last story of QUARTET NIGHT's assignment for Valentine's Day. Reiji's acting scenes inside the video made a prominent contribution to how Natsuki's imagination revved up to life for the story and coupled with the alluring romance novel that Camus had lent... the mood had evidently been set in place for a dark and intense kiss. 

"I didn't watch them, but the same creator also made video compilations for the rest of us, with Maru-chan's being the longest..."

"Oh God-"

"So we're binging them _all_ after this!"

"Absolutely n-"

"If we're watching mine, we're watching all of ours- _Ahh_!"

"Eto... Rei-Rei, are you sure you'll be okay? The kisses towards the end of the video are much more intense than these."

"They are? No no no no no-"

"And um... in Myu-chan's book, there is a kiss called a 'French kiss'. Is that a kiss from France?"

"No, it's-"

"Phrase it carefully before answering, you hot-headed buffoon!"

"As if you have any right to talk, you sugar librarian!"

_Is this... my fault...?_

Natsuki whispered in his head as the ever-growing chaos engulfed the living room of the quintet's shared apartment like a hurricane and maelstrom in one, crashing upon every single one of them while taking no prisoners. Even though Ai's expression was the calmest with his trademark poker face, the pink blush on his cheeks did not lie as Camus suggested for Ranmaru's video to be played next, earning angry screams from the rocker. In all actuality, regardless what any of the five boys did, their romance storytelling had already been guaranteed to wind up as a typhoon of brewing chaos and disasters from start until end, chipping away at their sanity and serenity, even if both did not appear to exist in the first place. QUARTET NIGHT's relationship with the theme of romance was not a push-and-pull relationship, but rather, one in which romance dragged them all in a pandemonium with no hope or chance to escape.

 **Stories:**  
I. Reiji - Ai: _Letters of Love_  
II. Camus - Ranmaru: _Soulful Serenade_  
III. Ai - Camus: _Demon Incarnate_  
IV. Ranmaru - Natsuki: _Violin Crusade_  
V. Natsuki - Reiji: _Shadow of a Kiss_

However... the results were not exactly the disaster that they had anticipated at the beginning, were they?

"When you resume reading the dark romance novel that I lent you, Natsuki, it is necessary that you have adult supervision."

"But I'm an adult, Myu-ch-"

"Not in this field you are not!"

"Yup! You and Ai-Ai are precious cinnamon roll babies!"

"I am most certainly not, Reiji."

"You are to us!"

Reiji threw himself forward and scooped both Natsuki and Ai into his two arms, causing the latter's eyes to widen slightly while the former chuckled warmly and hugged both of his dearest friends. Well, the content of the stories may have triggered various rounds of colourful chaos in hearts and minds alike, but despite the five boys contributing to the mayhem, whether intentionally or not, they could be deemed to have survived it with what little grace they had remaining in their bones. The three of them laughed as Ranmaru and Camus began bickering over who the next victim would in regards to the video compilations of kisses they were in the middle of watching, and the silver-haired rocker immediately protested at the suggestion of leaving it up to voting as he knew that he would be outnumbered. The ship of romance may be tattered and wrecked, just like it always was when the quintet were inside of it, but at the very least, the five of them were swimming to shore together...

Even if shouts and screams were inevitably involved, albeit mainly originating from a single silver-haired rocker.

...

As soon as the five of them confirmed that all five stories were ready, they sent the pieces of writing to their editor, whom they promised to treat to milk tea for needing to deal with the assignment that had generated immeasurable chaos and was more than guaranteed to cause even higher levels of mayhem. However, all of the screams and yells as well as colourful chaos and mad embarrassment that had whirled throughout the entire time were proven to be worth it as the day the stories were published, all five of the pieces of romance writing blew up online, vastly spreading throughout not only the fandom but also strangers and romance lovers alike. Even if it ended up urging Ranmaru to dig that hole in his bedroom even further as he, Reiji, Natsuki, Ai and Camus were deeply flustered by the prospect of countless people reading every single syllable of what had written, picturing every scene so vividly, including and especially the kiss scenes and hilariously embarrassing moments...

At the very least they received the day off.

So having booked a private room in their favourite café, the five of them were treating themselves to their favourite beverages and desserts as they imagined Shining guffawing at the top of his lungs at his office while drunk on his favourite wine. Unbeknownst to the quintet, however, their fellow Shining Stars, the six boys of STARISH, had received copies of QUARTET NIGHT's stories, since a certain, flirtatious saxophonist had been sure to have them delivered to their six-man apartment as soon as they were released.

And when he read the stories with the rest of his band members, starting from Reiji's story about Ai-

Ren burst out laughing, howling in laughter to the point that Masato was somewhat concerned about his sanity despite the beet-red shade of his pale complexion formed upon reading what the poor quintet had had to suffer through. Even Tokiya felt extremely apologetic towards the five boys as Syo burst out laughing and Otoya blushed wildly and Cecil's eyes dilated, the six boys genuinely grateful that their Valentine's assignment was nowhere near as catastrophic as what QUARTET NIGHT had. Even if part of their reason was because most of them knew that giving Ren the right to write about any of them - given his incomprehensibly flirtatious, teasing nature - would, without a doubt, drive them all insane.

Only after he recovered from his laughter did Ren, with a sly grin, dial Natsuki's phone number, knowing that the angelic blond would never hang up on him unlike the rest of that hilariously entertaining crew, and relentlessly teased all five of the already-suffering boys, causing screams and yells from the other side of the line.

Ren, however, was not getting away scot-free.

He never did.

"Hey, guys."

"Yes, Ran-Ran?" Reiji asked as the four of them watched Ranmaru slowly turn around to face them after hanging up the call for Natsuki. Even though Ranmaru's cheeks had yet to recover from their dark red, a dark smirk was curved by his lips as his heterochromatic eyes glinted.

"What do you guys say to writing one more story? _Together_ this time."

"I see precisely where you are going with this," Camus remarked, his lips curling into a sly smirk as he added more sugar cubes into his Earl Grey lavender latte. "For once, we have common interests in regards to romance, even if it includes an insolent, flirtatious fool. Ai, Natsuki, Reiji, do we have a mutual agreement?"

"Of course," Ai stated, his smile small but mischievous.

"I'm definitely in!" Reiji grinned, his gry eyes filled with intent. "And how about you, Nattsun?"

"Let's write Ren-kun in love!" Natsuki agreed with a bright smile, his green eyes sparkling with idyllic innocence, causing Reiji, Ai, Camus and Ranmaru to laugh. Reaching forward, Ai smiled softly as he ruffled Natsuki's fluffy blond hair, his gaze affectionate.

"As harmless as you put it, it is not incorrect either, to be fair."

As much as this quintet would always be filled with utter chaos, these five boys were genuinely connected by unity even in the stress-inducing scenario that was romance. They were together when they suffered, when they were driven over the edge, and even when they were engulfed in their chaos, they had one another's backs. Now, as Ai switched his laptop on and the five of them sat around the same table with their piping hot beverages, they exchanged smirks, grins and laughs as they began coming up with ideas for a new masterpiece as a surprise bonus for this day that was both Ren's birthday and Valentine's Day: 

February 14.

This was their art of love. And as chaotic and trumpeting as it would always be, the five of them would continue to splash an abundance of colours and sounds into their canvas and songs, leaving behind a blossoming scenery, and that itself was the true masterpiece: the fact that it was them. Reiji, Ranmaru, Camus, Natsuki and Ai... All of them, as colourful as it was filled with near incomprehensible mayhem that even they could not entirely fathom into understanding.

_"Revealing my true colors,_

_Leaving behind this sinful romance_

_In a kiss upon your brow,_

_I've just stolen your heart"_

\- "Masquerade Mirage" by Reiji Kotobuki (Showtaro Morikubo), Ai Mikaze (Shouta Aoi) and Natsuki Shinomiya (Kisho Taniyama)


End file.
